Grammar and Writing, Part 2

The Professional Journal of the National Association for the Teaching of English Issue 23 June 2012

All Talk English 14-19

All Talk supports GCSE English study of both Spoken Language and Speaking and Listening, and A level English Language. The All Talk website includes 15 units with supporting classroom materials including teacher and student hand-outs, video clips, transcripts, web links and teacher notes – everything you will need to support teaching and learning about spoken language all free to download from www.bt.com/alltalk

For information about our free nationwide CPD courses contact [email protected] www.bt.com/alltalk

Special issue: English, Sexuality and Gender

Also: Grammar and Writing, Part 2

Alltalk-Nate-Feb2012.indd 1 10/02/2012 07:09 NATE Collections English Teaching Now FREE to all NATE members By popular demand, Collection 6 has now been added to this valuable archive of contemporary thinking, ideas and activities in NATE articles. COLLECTION 1: Writing – inspiration and craft KS2, KS3 and KS4 COLLECTION 2: Reading and responding to ﬁ ction KS2, KS3, KS4 COLLECTION 3: Reading and responding to poetry KS2, KS3 and KS4 COLLECTION 4: Promoting the enjoyment of reading KS2 to KS5 COLLECTION 5: Shakespeare KS2 to KS5 COLLECTION 6: Speaking and Listening KS2 to KS4

These collections of NATE articles, available as one The collections are gathered around the areas of complete fi le (pdf), downloadable free of charge from interest most prevalent over the past fi ve years of the Members’ Area of the NATE website, are drawn publication. The themed articles – 15 to 20 in each from the three NATE periodicals: collection – will be invaluable to: • magazine NATE Classroom • all teachers who want to plan a half-term series • professional journal English Drama Media of lessons on a relevant theme • peer-reviewed research journal English in Education • to Heads of English who are planning Inset on (these articles are referenced only – accessible by all a given topic NATE members on the Wiley Blackwell page directly • to PGCE or English Education lecturers who from the members’ area of the NATE website, and with want to bring themselves and their students a direct link to one sample article in each collection) up-to-date on aspects of current practice This series, absolutely free of charge to all NATE and research members, is also available to non-members at a cost of • to consultants or curriculum leaders who want only £12.50* per collection from the NATE bookshop to refresh their own thinking, or garner fresh at www.nate.org.uk. The fi rst three collections approaches and ideas. available now are listed above; further collections will be available soon – see www.nate.org.uk for updates. (*price correct at time of going to press, subject to change without notice)

NATE Classroom 16 60-61.indd 61 08/02/2012 11:18

Contents

Editor Gary Snapper 2 Editorial

Advisory Group 4 Briefing Adrian Beard, Sue Brindley, David Buckingham, Paul Bunyan, Andrew Burn, Gabrielle Cliff Hodges, Features James Durran, Sue Dymoke, Janet Evans, Anne Fairhall, 13 The Importance of Being … Out Elaine Millard, Ruth Moore, Sean McEvoy, Jonothan Neelands, Why Sexuality Matters in English Helen Nicholson, Mark Reid Chris Waugh reflects on his experiences as a gay English teacher,

arguing that openness about sexuality is crucial in the English Design Neil Baird, Dokumenta Limited classroom. Layout and Production Matt Storr 19 Some Students Are Gay Printing Buxton Press Limited Tackling Homophobia in English

NATE Administration Lydia Malmedie outlines ways in which English teachers can help tackle Anne Fairhall (publications manager); homophobia in schools, and describes resources available from Ian McNeilly (director) Stonewall.

ISSN 1742-5514 25 Other Cultures, Other Sexualities? Including Sexuality in Secondary English Helen Sauntson and Kathryn Simpson reflect on the extent to which the English curriculum provides opportunities for teaching about Cover Image: Still from the BBC TV series Torchwood, featuring John sexuality. Barrowman and Gareth David-Lloyd, copyright BBC Photo Library. 31 Truths Universally Acknowledged Reading for Gender in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ Jack Williams reflects on teaching his all-male Year 11 class about constructions of masculinity in ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

English Drama Media is the professional 37 Women’s Work? journal of NATE, the National Association for the Teaching of English Perspectives on Gender and Learning in English published three times a year in February, John Hodgson explores male and female views of English at university June and October. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the authors 43 ‘Knowledge About Language’ Revisited and do not necessarily reflect those of The Impact of Teachers’ Linguistic Subject Knowledge on the Teaching the association. of Writing Contributions to the journal are Researchers from the Grammar for Writing project explore the welcome. Notes for contributors may be found at www.nate.org.uk. classroom impact of teachers’ linguistic subject knowledge. The editor may be contacted at [email protected] Review

51 Subject Matter Reflections on Curriculum and Assessment • Keith Davidson reflects on the difference between speech and writing • Ben Knights reflects on the work of the English Subject Centre

54 Media Studies

NATE English in the News 50 Broadfield Road, Sheffield, S8 OXJ • Tom Rank reports on recent media coverage Telephone 0114 255 5419 [email protected] 56 Further Reading Reviews of Books and Resources June 2012 Editorial

Sexuality, gender and English edition, one of the things that makes this stubborn prejudice more resilient and potentially more crushing The main theme of this edition of EDM is the relationship than others is that so many have to suffer it alone. Gay between sexuality, gender and English teaching – focusing children do not generally have gay parents, only rarely on attitudes to homosexuality; the ways in which such have gay siblings, and are very likely not to have gay attitudes are constructed and perpetuated through friends; they may well have no-one to turn to, no forum approaches to gender and sexuality in schools and for finding reliable information, support or affirmation. As society; and some of the things that might be done by Chris argues, English is the place where such students are Gary Snapper English teachers to fight against homophobia and to build teaches A Level perhaps most likely to find such affirmation. Similarly, English at the communities where potentially damaging stereotypes of because of the silence which so often surrounds sexuality Cheney School, sexuality can be acknowledged, explored and overcome. in schools (and outside), English is the place where Oxford, and is a freelance teacher, There is relatively little written on this crucial topic in homophobic children are perhaps most likely to have consultant and professional literature in the UK, and even less that takes their assumptions and prejudices challenged. The researcher. He is a on board contemporary theories about sexuality in opportunities English offers for exploration of member of the NATE Post-16 formulating effective ways of dealing with such issues in representations of sexuality in literature, and in culture Committee. In a the English classroom. The leading commentator on this and language more generally, are invaluable. previous existence topic in the UK, Viv Ellis, contributed a timely and original he was Head of Chris’s article is a passionate, personal, and English at article to the very first edition of EDM (in 2003) – Beyond exceptionally well-written reflection on being a gay Impington Village Legz Akimbo: Sexuality and School English after Section 28 English teacher, on being open about sexuality, on why College, – which aimed to explore new ways of thinking about Cambridge. sexuality matters in English, and on the importance of sexuality and English. Since then, EDM has rarely returned honesty and trust in the English classroom. If you read to questions of sexuality and gender in English – so this only one article in this edition, I recommend it be this edition aims to begin to make up that deficit. one. There are of course many other questions about gender Following Chris’s article, Lydia Malmedie, the education and English that we might want to explore, and which are officer at Stonewall, outlines some of the work that undoubtedly related to questions of sexuality – for Stonewall has done in recent years in highlighting the instance, the ways in which sexism still manifests itself in issue of homophobia in schools, and gives details of the English classroom and curriculum, the extent to which resources which Stonewall provides to help English feminism has changed things, the ways in which language teachers, and others, to approach issues of sexuality. In and literature betray the patriarchal structures of society, particular, she discusses FIT, the highly acclaimed play for the implications of the under-achievement of boys in young people, by Rikki Beadle-Blair, commissioned by English, and so on. A future edition of EDM is planned to Stonewall for the theatre and now released on DVD – a explore some of these avenues. superb resource for English. Kathryn Sauntson and Helen Simpson’s article takes as Tackling homophobia in English its starting point the way in which questions of race and gender have gained visibility in English classrooms, whilst Despite the enormous progress that has been made in questions of sexuality are often neglected. They discuss recent years in relation to positive representations of and findings from their research, in which they interviewed attitudes to gay people (see for instance Torchwood’s Jack teachers and students about their experiences in the and Ianto featured on our cover), it sometimes seems that classroom, and examined the English National Curriculum, homophobia is the one remaining prejudice of the ‘big to find out why such a situation might pertain. three’ (sexism, racism, homophobia) still allowed in schools - perhaps because students know that teachers are still often scared of challenging it, for a variety of reasons. Performing masculinity and femininity in English Much of the debate in recent years has centred on the use of the word ‘gay’ as a derogatory descriptor for Jack Williams, an English teacher in a London boys’ anything considered ‘uncool’. There are still those who school, contributes a fascinating article based on a would argue that this is a harmless usage, failing to classroom research project on boys’ notions of recognise that ‘harmless’ linguistic joshing of this sort masculinity, clearly a major factor in issues to do with reveals the underlying prejudices that continue to make perceptions of both sexuality and gender in schools. He life a misery for the thousands of young people in the explores what happened when he used his class’s study of school system who are trying to understand, come to Pride and Prejudice as a focus for engaging students in a terms with and seek acceptance for their homosexuality. study of the representation of men in the novel and for As Chris Waugh, an English teacher in an inner-city exploring the boys’ own attitudes to manliness. London school, points out, in the opening article of this In his article, John Hodgson (NATE Research Officer)

2 June 2012 approaches gender from a different perspective, looking her Grammar for Writing group at the University of Exeter. at some of the ways in which the subject English might be In the last issue, the group gave an account of the seen as gendered. Around 75% of post-16 students in significant findings from their extensive classroom case English (at both A Level and university) are female, and studies which demonstrated the beneficial effects of this is often ascribed to the ‘soft’ nature of a subject often certain modes of grammar teaching on students’ writing. focused on discussion of character, motivation, emotion, This second article explores the nature of teachers’ subject and so on. Here, John looks at the experiences of male knowledge about language and the ways in which the and female students in university English, exploring the promotion of subject knowledge might lead to more ways in which such views of the subject are disturbed by effective teaching about language. the university experience. Through his discussion, John hints at a range of issues And finally… to do with the ways in which educational experience constructs and is constructed by notions of gender. Is Elsewhere in EDM, Ben Knights, director of the late English really – or does it really need to be - a ‘soft’ English Subject Centre, reflects on the work of the centre subject? And even if it is, why should the ‘soft/hard’ binary and its relationship with schools, Keith Davidson explores matter in terms of gender take-up? Such questions open some issues about phonics, Tom Rank’s Media Studies up a rich vein for discussion to which EDM hopes to continues to mine the endless supply of Gove-related return later. stories in his satirical survey of English-connected news, Briefing gives a further update on the curriculum review in England, and Further Reading features reviews of Grammar for Writing significant new books on literature, writing, media, On a quite different note, this edition of EDM contains the language, and primary English. second of two articles contributed by Debra Myhill and

Beth Tovey’s Literary Signposts

June 2012 3 Briefing

NATE Briefing

NATE Conference, York 2012 be the usual mix of high quality workshops, seminars, research – The Subject of Discussion presentations, a commercial exhibition and social events. Workshops, seminars and research presentations cover topics including creative NATE’s Annual Conference for English teachers and others in the writing, critical reading, Shakespeare, grammar, graphic novels, English community will be held in 2012 in York, from Friday June poetry, ICT, film, drama, picturebooks, EAL, moving image, spoken 29th to Sunday July 1st, providing high-quality, high-value language, A Level, journalism, children’s literature – and others. professional development. Key speakers will be Andrew Motion, Meg See www.nate.org.uk to book and for further details. Rosoff, Ron Carter, Jacqui O’Hanlon and Simon Wrigley. There will English and Literacy Briefing

English in England: National Curriculum Review English in England: English NC Programmes of Study

The Expert Panel for the National Curriculum Review has published Whilst we await the draft NC programmes of study, reports – mainly its report The Framework for the National Curriculum (December in the Daily Telegraph – continue to suggest that Michael Gove wants 2011). Changes to English and other core subjects, which had been to see specific changes to the English programmes of study designed expected to take place in 2013, will now take place in September to make the study of ‘more challenging’ classic texts and authors 2014, as a result of the complexity of the issues raised in the report. compulsory at KS3 and KS4. In February, Education minister Nick Consultation for the new curriculum will take place early in 2013 and Gibb, launching a campaign to improve reading standards, opined final programmes of study should be in schools by September 2013. that ‘Every child ought to read a Dickens novel by the age of 11’. See www.education.gov.uk for further details. At the same time, the Prince’s Institute continues to promote The report presents a mixed bag of progressive and retrograde traditional conceptions of curriculum, including a focus on the ideas. One positive aspect is its unprecedentedly strong emphasis on teaching of pre-20th century literature in schools, and to be the need for oracy to be taken more seriously at all levels of the championed by the Telegraph (‘Prince Charles’s elite teachers will curriculum. Amongst other proposals in the report are the following: bring back Chaucer and the Crusades,’ 6th November 2011) and by • Splitting KS2 into two 2-year units, reducing KS3 to 2 years, and conservative educational commentators and politicians. Whilst the extending KS4 to 3 years. Prince’s Institute is doing excellent work in boosting teachers’ subject • Ending assessment by National Curriculum levels, replacing it with knowledge in literature, the jingoistic and mono-cultural discourse a system of attainment targets for each key stage linked to framing it must set alarm bells ringing, especially when we note that programmes of study. the director of the institute, public school head Bernice McCabe, is a • Making humanities, arts, and modern foreign languages key member of the National Curriculum Expert Panel. compulsory till the age of 16, and reducing the status of Meanwhile, the Looking for the Heart of English project, which Citizenship, ICT and Design and Technology, in line with the seeks to initiate a ‘national discussion about what really matters in review’s underlying philosophy of bolstering the role of traditional English teaching’, is continuing, with discussion groups taking place subject teaching, as seen in the Ebacc. around the country. The project, which published its first findings The work of the Expert Panel has included examining evidence from recently, will then make representations to the government. See www. what it calls ‘the education systems of high-performing jurisdictions heartofenglish.com for further details. around the world’ such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and certain states in Canada and the US. No doubt this is interesting work, but it has Phonics and Technical English been undermined by its linkage to continuing government propaganda about declining standards in the UK. In the light of current government initiatives in the teaching of The unbalanced emphasis on traditional subject teaching has also phonics, such as the statutory ‘phonics check’ in KS1, NATE is been challenged by the Cultural Learning Alliance in their report conducting a survey of views about phonics, and urges teachers from ImagineNation: The Case for Cultural Learning, supported by a all phases to complete an online questionnaire to help shape the group of leading cultural figures including Mick Waters, Kevin Association’s response. NATE wants to know more about the impact Spacey, David Puttnam, Nick Hornby, Michael Boyd and Nick Serota. of the emphasis on phonics on the reading curriculum. The See www.culturallearningalliance.org.uk for further details. questionnaire may be accessed through the NATE website, www.nate. Whatever the changes brought about by the National Curriculum org.uk. There is also concern about a new ‘technical English’ test Review, it is worth noting the irony that, by the time they take place, which is to be introduced at the end of KS2 as part of the English the majority of schools in England will be academies and therefore SAT, to test students’ spelling, grammar and punctuation. not required to follow the National Curriculum.

4 June 2012 New Ofsted Report: ‘Moving English Forward’ the relevance of English outside school; lack of attention to literacy across the curriculum. A new Oftsed report which reflects on how attainment can be raised There is much of interest in this report, especially a renewed in English was published in March. Moving English Forward identifies emphasis on encouraging a love of reading amongst students and ten areas of weakness in English and suggests actions that would explicit suggestions that formulaic approaches to lesson planning and help to improve practice. The ten areas identified are: the teaching of exam preparation can inhibit enjoyment and motivation in English. writing (including spelling and handwriting); the lack of specialist Commentators have been quick to point out the irony of Ofsted’s English co-ordinators in primary schools; the fact that too few pupils comments, however – see, for instance, Michael Rosen’s blog (www. read widely enough for pleasure; the impact of tests and exams on michaelrosenblog.blogspot.co.uk and Francis Gilbert’s comments at the English curriculum; the transition from KS2 to KS3; inflexible www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk). See www.oftsed.gov.uk for the full lesson planning; weak entry levels of language and communication at report. KS1; lack of purpose in KS3 English; lack of student understanding of Secondary Briefing

Changes to GCSE: September 2012, 2013 and 2015 New English Literature specifications will be published ready for teaching in September 2013. Any student who takes a GCSE English Literature exam from Whatever happens, there will be entirely new GCSE courses in September 2012 onwards (including those who have already started September 2015 following the introduction of the new National their GCSE courses) will be subject to new arrangements for the Curriculum, now delayed until 2014. Ofqual has also announced that assessment of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Ofqual is due to arrangements for GCSE controlled assessments will be reviewed for confirm the changes to awarding bodies before Easter. For students 2015. Ofqual’s investigation into controlled assessments, published in starting GCSE courses from September 2012 onwards, GCSEs will be October, suggested that controlled assessments have reduced de-modularised, so that all students will take the exams at the end of teaching and learning time and that they have given students fewer the course, as previously. (Modules will still be available in 2012-13 opportunities than coursework ‘to develop key skills in refining and for those who started the course in 2011). editing their work.’ However, the scrapping of controlled GCSE English Literature specifications will be ‘tightened’ from assessments, if it happens, does not necessarily mean the return of September 2013 onwards, to take into account ‘the suggestion that coursework, given Michael Gove’s insistence on greater emphasis on some GCSE qualifications may permit narrowing of the expected final exams. course of study’. (What this means is that Michael Gove is concerned See www.education.gov.uk and www.ofqual.gov.uk for further that students are not studying enough pre-20th century literature). details of all these changes. Post-16 Briefing

New A Levels from September 2014 A Levels v. The World

There will be new A Level specifications from September 2014. At Despite continuing attempts by Michael Gove to depict the UK this stage, however, it is unclear what the changes will consist of, or education system as characterised by declining standards, and as indeed how the changes will come about. Michael Gove has performing badly in relation to international comparisons, a report instructed Ofqual to let universities lead the process, working with commissioned by Ofqual in response to such concerns has shown awarding bodies to develop new courses, but it is not yet known that A Level compares well with other countries in the breadth and what structures will be set up to persuade universities to participate depth of knowledge covered and the degree of challenge posed. or to achieve wide consultation. It is likely that A Levels will be Interestingly, the report (International comparisons in senior de-modularised, though it’s as yet unclear what this will mean for the secondary assessments) found that A Level English ‘stands apart’ from AS exam. See www.ofqual.gov.uk for further details. other countries in its ‘almost exclusive focus on reading and A report published in April by Ofqual into the suitability of A interpreting traditional forms of text, with other countries, often Levels – Fit for Purpose? – has informed ministers’ views of the A taking a broader view of the subject, also encompassing film. The Level situation. However, despite the very negative accounts of it report suggests that ‘reviewers considered that this broader given in the press by government sources, the report actually finds interpretation may prepare learners better for studying in a higher little wrong with A Levels, finding that most people are fairly happy education setting.’ See www.ofqual.gov.uk for further details with the qualifications, and that only minor adjustments are needed. The report also finds that university lecturers are reluctant to become involved with curriculum formation at A Level.

June 2012 5 Literature Briefing

World Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

As part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, the RSC and Shakespeare’s Globe are leading a World Shakespeare Festival which will take place around the country between April and September. It will coincide with a major British Museum exhibition, Shakespeare: Staging the World. With a focus on international and multicultural perspectives, the festival will include two RSC series, What Country Friends Is This? and Nations at War. The former includes Shakespeare plays about journeying and migration (The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Pericles), whilst the latter includes Richard III and King John, as well as a production with the The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has developed its education National Theatre of Mexico (A Soldier in Every Son – the Aztec website, Explore Shakespeare, to include extensive resources for Trilogy). students and teachers, and two very enjoyable new sites designed to Further international engage the public in developments and debates in the world of perspectives are brought by Shakespeare. Blogging Shakespeare and Finding Shakespeare contain The Iraqi Theatre Company a wealth of information and resources which could be of great value (Romeo and Juliet in to the teacher and student of Shakespeare. Additionally, the Trust has Baghdad), the Brazilian initiated a free online course about Shakespeare, Getting To Know Companhia Bufomecanica Shakespeare. For full details of all these projects, see www. (Two Roses for Richard III), shakespeare.org.uk. and the Chekhov International Theatre Festival (Midsummer The Dickens Anniversary Night’s Dream), as well as by RSC productions of Julius A number of education events and schemes Caesar (set in Africa) and are taking place to mark the Dickens Much Ado About Nothing (set bicentenary in 2012. in India). Meanwhile, The Dickens Association and the English Shakespeare’s Globe presents Association have announced the More Globe to Globe, a season in Dickens Competition for primary schools. which all of Shakespeare’s Teachers are asked to submit details of a plays will be performed, each class project (including work on different in a different language. modes or forms such as sound, images or Further productions will take words) based on one of Dickens’ works, place in London, Edinburgh, along with examples of children’s work. The Newcastle, Stratford and other venues. See www. deadline is 1st April 2012. Notes for guidance worldshakespearefestival.org.uk for further details. and registration form are available at www. A major education programme will also take place as part of the le.ac.uk/engassoc. festival, with a varied and wide-ranging programme of events, The National Schools Partnership has produced a set of creative including workshops for primary, secondary and sixth form students. writing resources, What the Dickens?, aimed at introducing KS2 and The programme culminates in a three-day conference in London, KS3 students to the work of Dickens, including videos by writers Worlds Together, from 6th-8th September 2012. The conference will Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet and Sally Phelps. See www.whatthedickens.org explore the place of Shakespeare and the arts in young people’s lives for further details. across the world, and will offer workshops on teaching Shakespeare Meanwhile, Dickens 2012, the official bicentenary organisation set as well as opportunities to explore research and practice and take up by the Charles Dickens Museum and Film London, has organised part in discussion. Key speakers will include Michael Morpurgo, a wide range of activities, including a major James Shapiro and Shirley Bryce-Heath. See www.rsc.org.uk/ exhibition – Dickens and London – at the education for further details. Museum of London, which runs until June. See www.dickens2012.org for further details.

6 June 2012 Literature Briefing

BBC Shakespeare Unlocked Python and the Holy Grail. In association with the exhibition storyteller Daniel Morden and music group The Devil’s Violin have Coinciding with the World embarked on a nationwide tour of a show, A Love Like Salt, which Shakespeare Festival, the BBC explores the original romance stories which informed tales by has launched a major Chaucer and plays by Shakespeare. For further details see www. Shakespeare season, medievalromance.bodleian. Shakespeare Unlocked. ox.ac.uk and www.fiddle.org. Programmes include a uk/devils_violin/salt documentary series by James Shapiro on King James I and The Power of Caribbean Poetry Shakespeare, The King and the Playwright; a film by Simon Schama,Shakespeare and Us; a series of The Caribbean Poetry Project, a joint initiative of the Cambridge short programmes on Radio 4, Shakespeare’s Restless World; and University Faculty of Education and the University of West Indies, is productions of the plays on both Radio 3 and Radio 4, including a hosting a conference on Caribbean Poetry in Cambridge from 20-22 Histories cycle produced by Sam Mendes on BBC2. September. Speakers will include John Agard, Grace Nichols and In connection with this project, BBC Learning and RSC Education Linton Kwesi Johnson. The programme will include performances, have also created a valuable online resource called Shakespeare seminars, workshops and lectures by poets and scholars. The final Unlocked, a series of short films which enable students to watch key day will focus particularly on teaching Caribbean poetry. For further scenes from Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s details see http://caribbeanpoetry.educ.cam.ac.uk. Dream, and hear actors and directors discussing the interpretive choices made in performing the scenes. The clips and associated material may be accessed through www.bbc.co.uk/arts/shakespeare, where full details of the season may also be found. New Film Resources

RSC Teaching Shakespeare FILMCLUB has launched a new initiative, The British Connection, which invites schools to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee through film. The RSC has also launched a major education The campaign highlights 60 great British films which students will be project called Teaching Shakespeare, in encouraged to watch, discus and review in their school film clubs. partnership with the University of Warwick. The The films begin in 1952 withLimelight , and end in 2011 with Attack project offers teachers access to a programme of the Block, going by way of Vertigo, Gregory’s online resources and courses that combine the Girl, Distant Voices Still Lives, Billy Elliot, and active approaches of the RSC with the scholarship many others. For further details, see www. of the University of Warwick. Aimed at teachers of English, Drama filmclub.org. and Literacy in KS2, 3 and 4, the resources aim to help teachers Film Education, meanwhile, has launched a set of resources for engage students actively with Shakespeare in the classroom. Online teaching film in schools,Thinking Film. The resource, distributed films show RSC actors and lecturers Jonothan Neelands and James free to schools, offers a DVD of film clips accompanied by lesson Shapiro working with students in UK schools. There are also podcasts plans and worksheets for subjects across the curriculum. The project of interviews with actors, directors and voice experts. The resources follows on from the publication of the report, Making the Case for are available to buy from this summer. Film Education, which was released earlier this year. See www. In addition to using the materials as CPD, teachers can take a filmeducation.org/thinkingfilm for further details. postgraduate course on teaching Shakespeare and attend week-long residential courses at Stratford. The online courses start in September 2012, with applications now open. For further details see www. teachingshakespeare.ac.uk.

The Romance of the Middle Ages

A major exhibition about medieval literature and its influences is running at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The exhibition’s website offers the opportunity to view and read about all the exhibits, which include the only existing manuscript of ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’, a folio edition of the works of Shakespeare, manuscripts by Tolkien and Pullman, and Terry Jones’s working script of Monty

June 2012 7 What’s On

NATE Events English Association Events www.nate.org.uk www.le.ac.uk/engassoc

NATE Annual National Conference: English Association Conference: English – The Subject of Discussion Dickens and Childhood Fri 29th June – Sunday 1st July, York 18th June, Museum of Childhood, London Key speakers: Andrew Motion, Meg Rosoff, Ron Carter, Key speakers: Peggy Reyonolds, Michael Slater, Lucinda Jacqui O’Hanlon. Simon Wrigley Dickens Hawksley

NATE Annual Research Symposium Teaching Grammar for Writing National Literacy Trust Events Thu 15th November, British Library, London www.literacytrust.org.uk

NATE Friday Workshop: NLT Primary Conferences: Bridging the Gap Between KS3 and KS4 Teaching Literacy across the new curriculum with a Fri 5th October, NATE Headquarters, Sheffield focus on non-fiction Course leader: Sarah Darragh 20th Jun, York; 21st Jun, Bristol; 22nd Jun, London NATE Friday Workshop: Key speaker: Pie Corbett Literacy for Non-Specialists NLT Primary Conferences: Fri 12th October, NATE Headquarters, Sheffield Reading for Real Course Leader: Moyra Beverton 4th Oct, London; 9th Oct, Newcastle; 16th Oct, Manchester NATE Friday Workshop: Key Speakers: Stephanie Austwick, Kevin Jeffrey, Gill Powering Up English with ICT Matthews Fri 19th October, NATE Headquarters, Sheffield Course Leader: Tom Rank Prince’s Teaching Trust Events NATE Friday Workshop: www.princes-ti.org.uk Outstanding Speaking and Listening Fri 9th November, NATE Headquarters, Sheffield Prince’s Teaching Institute Course: Course Leader: Joe Walsh Dickens Fri 15th June, Southwark Cathedral, London NATE Friday Workshop: Key Speakers: Kaye Mitchell, Josie Billington, Raising Grade Ds to C+ in GCSE English Stephanie Cross Fri 16th November, NATE Headquarters, Sheffield Course Leader: Helen Lapping Prince’s Teaching Institute Course: The Contemporary Novel NATE Friday Workshop: Fri 29th June, The People’s History Museum, Manchester Teaching Grammar for Writing Key Speakers: Ian Brinton, Jenny Hartley, Robert Fri 23rd November, NATE Headquarters, Sheffield Douglas-Fairhurst Course Leader: Helen Lines

BFI Education Events UKLA Events www.bfi.org.uk/education www.ukla.org BFI Media Conference: UKLA International Conference: Creativity, Industry and Learning Crossing Places: Literacy, Life and School Weds 4th - Fri 6th July, BFI Southbank, London Fri 6th – Sun 8th July, University of Leicester Key speakers: Ian Livingstone, Emma Mulqueeny, Key speakers: Joanne Larson. Victoria Risko, Morag Patrick Younge, Briony Hanson, Jay Arnold Styles, Beverley Naidoo BFI Workshop: Teenage Kicks – Teenagers on Film (KS3/KS4 Fri 22nd June, BFI Southbank

8 October 2011 English and Media Centre Events Schools Network English Events www.englishandmedia.co.uk www.theschoolsnetwork.org.uk

Emagazine A Level Literature Conference Outstanding Literacy for Ofsted Wed 24th Oct, Institute of Education, London 3rd July, London; 27th September, Manchester; Key speakers: Robert Eaglestone, John Mullan, Emma 16th October, London Smith, Patience Agbabi National English Conference EMC Course: Teaching Poetry with Michael Rosen 27th November, London Monday 18th June, English and Media Centre, London Course tutor: Michael Rosen Other Events EMC Course: Outstanding English Teaching Wednesday 27th June, English and Media Centre, London ‘Unlearning Shakespeare’ Symposium Course tutor: Martin Phillips for English/drama teachers and researchers Wed 28th June, Oxford Brookes University EMC Course: English Essentials for NQTs Key speakers: Paul Prescott, Bethan Marshall Tuesday 3rd July, English and Media Centre, London www.shakespeareineducation.com/2012/03 Course tutors: Kate Oliver, Jenny Grahame IBBY International Congress: EMC Course: AS English Language: Language Crossing Boundaries - Translations and Migrations Frameworks 23 – 26 August, Imperial College, London Friday 6th July, English and Media Centre, London Speakers include: Aidan Chambers, Shaun Tan Course tutors: Marcello Giovanelli, Dan Clayton www.ibbycongress2012.org

EMC Course: Teaching Jane Eyre for English Literature Caribbean Poetry Project Conference: A Level The Power of Caribbean Poetry – Word and Sound Friday 13th July, English and Media Centre, London 20th – 22nd September, Cambridge University Education Course tutor: Lucy Webster Faculty Speakers include: John Agard, Grace Nichols, Linton EMC/Arvon Day for Teachers as Writers Kwesi Johnson Saturday 14th July, English and Media Centre, London http://caribbeanpoetry.educ.cam.ac.uk Course tutors: Mark Haddon, Becky Swain, Barbara Bleiman

Unlearning Shakespeare

Oxford Brookes University, Thursday June 28th 2012

Unlearning Shakespeare is a one-day symposium for injection of or experimentation with innovative English teachers, lecturers and researchers to explore approaches. how creative teaching and learning fits (or doesn’t) with formal learning structures at school and univer- The day will include talks by practitioners and re- sity. It explores, through a focus on Shakespeare searchers, and drama workshops, with keynote pedagogy, what teaching and learning actually are, speakers Bethan Marshall (King’s College London) and where practicality meets imagined ideals, and what Paul Prescott (Warwick University). Entrance is free. might be changed or best left alone. The focus of the Please register attendance by 22nd June. Contact Jane symposium is on the relationship between institutional Coles, Oxford Brookes University ([email protected]. structures of thought and practice in learning and the uk) or Liam Semler, University of Sydney (liam.semler@ positive turbulence or system stresses caused by sydney.edu.au).

October 2011 9 National Association for the Teaching of English NATE Conference 2012 For the best professional development

Friday June 29, 2012 to Sunday July 1, 2012 The Park Inn by Radisson, York Come to NATE’s 49th annual conference in the historic city of York!

visityork.org

English: the subject of discussion Keynote speakers: Sir Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate Ronald Carter, Professor of Modern English Language, University of Nottingham Simon Wrigley, former NATE Chair and co-founder of the NATE National Writing Project Meg Rosoff, award-winning author Jacqui O’Hanlon, Director of Education, RSC

See www.nate.org.uk/conference 2012 for up-to-date information 10 June 2012 To book email [email protected] tel: 0114 2555419

NATE Classroom 16 Cover.indd 83 08/02/2012 11:17 EDM Special Issue - English Teaching and Sexuality Strategies and Resources National Association for the Teaching of English • Do you want to tackle homophobia or homophobic language and prejudices amongst your students, or even amongst staff? • Do you want to create an English classroom where issues about gender and sexuality are explored and discussed? NATE Conference 2012 • Do you want to celebrate the contribution of gay and lesbian writers and thinkers to literature, language and For the best professional development culture? • What are the best ways to teach about these issues? Friday June 29, 2012 to Sunday July 1, 2012 • Are you a gay teacher who needs support or guidance? The Park Inn by Radisson, York • Do you know a gay student who needs support? • Where can you go for information or resources to support Come to NATE’s 49th annual conference in the historic city of York! any of these issues?

The articles in this edition of EDM aim to help you think about and find solutions to some of these problems. This page attempts to summarise some of the ideas and resources currently circulating that might be helpful.

Sexuality in the Classroom School’s Out www.schools-out.org.uk This is a good time for tackling homophobia in schools in the UK. As this article demonstrates, there is a plethora of high quality resources This message is effectively available to support schools and teachers; and awareness of the explained and illustrated on damage that can be done by homophobic language, attitudes and the website The Classroom bullying is greater than it has ever been, perhaps especially since the (see ‘Goodbye to the ‘gay’ suicide of 15-year-old Dominic Crouch last year. Furthermore, despite lesson’ at www.the-classroom. the fact that homophobia remains a serious and widespread problem, org.uk), which is part of the wider web presence of the organisation it’s also clear that positive attitudes to homosexuality are more School’s Out, which has been campaigning for LGBT equality in widespread than ever, boosted perhaps by increasing evidence of gay education for almost 40 years. The Classroom is a resource designed to people in the media, sport, film, etc. And government has never before ‘show teachers inspirational examples of how the use of LGBT been as pro-active in helping to tackle the problem as it is has been this experience as material in lessons can help to raise attainment and century. manage behaviour’, and focuses on ideas about ‘usualising’ and visityork.org The resources described below are not specific to English, but most of ‘actualising’ ideas about sexuality – making them visible and allowing them provide material which is very suitable for use in English lessons, them to be actively confronted in the classroom. especially perhaps in work on language, on speaking and listening, and The School’s Out website, though not as glossy as Stonewall’s, is on non-fiction and media texts. Even without the specialised resources crammed with information and resources, including a Student Toolkit described here, newspapers provide a wealth of powerful reporting on to help students raise issues and bring about change in schools, and a the problems and prejudices faced by gay people in schools, in sport, great deal more. School’s Out also has a national conference in English: the subject of discussion and in society more generally, many of which could be used very February each year, and membership of the organisation brings regular effectively in English. As many of the writers in this edition point out, newsletters and other support. Keynote speakers: work on literature also provides many opportunities for consideration of issues about sexuality. Sir Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate One of the key messages for teachers that has been emerging in LGBT History Month Ronald Carter, Professor of Modern English Language, University of Nottingham recent years is that effective approaches to tackling homophobia result www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk not so much from one-off PSHE-style lessons about ‘the problem of Simon Wrigley, former NATE Chair and co-founder of the NATE National Writing Project homosexuality’, but from embedding ideas about, representations of School’s Out is also responsible for a major resource for and explorations of gender and sexuality into subject lessons as part of schools, LGBT History Month, which has taken place Meg Rosoff, award-winning author the normal work of the class – just as schools and teachers have been every February since 2005. Modelled on the successful doing in relation to issues about racism and sexism for many years. Black History Month experience, it provides a platform Jacqui O’Hanlon, Director of Education, RSC Similarly, it is increasingly recognised that teaching ‘about homosexual- for schools – and society in general – to focus on positive ity’ is only a part of teaching more inclusively ‘about sexuality and representations of LGBT people throughout history and gender’, a strategy which makes it clear that sexuality is about across the curriculum, and to work to bring about everyone’s experience, not just the experience of ‘the other’. changes. The site contains extensive resources for schools, as well as many more general resources, and a monthly bulletin contains detailed See www.nate.org.uk/conference 2012 for up-to-date information updates and much other information. June 2012 11 To book email [email protected] tel: 0114 2555419

NATE Classroom 16 Cover.indd 83 08/02/2012 11:17 Stonewall Exceeding Expectations www.stonewall.org.uk www.exceedingexpectations.org.uk

The website of Stonewall, the charity Exceeding Expectations is a project which aims to that campaigns for equality for LGBT end homophobia through education in Manchester (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trangender) schools, led by Manchester City Council and the people, is another major resource for Lesbian and Gay Foundation. Although Manches- teachers. On the next few pages, Lydia ter-based, the extremely well-presented website Malmedie, Stonewall’s Education Officer, outlines the resources offers a wealth of resources and information available for English teachers, including the highly acclaimed film of FIT, designed specifically for use in schools and directly addressing teachers’ a play, described by The Times as ‘a kind of gritty take on the shiny E4 concerns, and links to the also very useful website of the Lesbian and drama Glee’, commissioned to provide a focus for discussion of Gay Foundation. sexuality issues among young people. Described by Ian McKellen as ‘the best anti-bullying film I’ve ever seen’, this is highly recommended by its users. If you would like to help Stonewall to develop further resources Tackle Homophobia for use in English lessons, please contact Lydia. www.tacklehomophobia.com Stonewall runs a variety of anti-homophobia programmes including With the slogan ‘Supporting schools to its School Champions scheme. Its website is packed with resources tackle homophobia’, this website is part of and publications of various kinds which can be used in the English a project funded by the Paul Hamlyn classroom in many ways. The School Report and The Teacher’s Foundation in the four countries of the UK. The website provides Report are glossy booklets which give the results of Stonewall’s resources and gives details of legislation, projects and other issues research into homophobia in schools, and could themselves be powerful which are specific to each country, as well as plenty of help which is resources for use at GCSE. In addition, the website provides plenty of common to all four. more general support for gay people. Stonewall’s annual education conference, Education for All, takes place this year on July 5th at the British Library in London, with BBC Director Mark Thompson as key Show Racism The Red Card speaker. www.srtrc.org

Show Racism the Red Card, which Amnesty International confronts issues about racism through www.amnesty.org.uk football, has released a new set of resources under the banner Homophobia: Let’s Tackle It. A Amnesty’s leading human rights 23-minute film, Talking about Homophobia, is at the heart of the campaigning includes sexuality rights. project, and features interviews with actor Kieron Richardson (Hol- Their website contains several areas lyoaks), comedian Rhona Cameron, and England rugby player Ben focusing on this area, and resources Cohen. There is also a further 17-minute DVD featuring top sporting include superb lesson ideas which are ideal for speaking and listening personalities talking about homophobia, and a comprehensive activities in English. education pack. It’s also worth noting that the FA has released a 30-minute anti-homophobia video which can be seen at www.thefa. com. Elly Barnes and Stoke Newington School www.ellybarnes.com

In conjunction with School’s Out and Diversity Role Models LGBT History Month, the teacher Elly www.diversityrolemodels.org Barnes offers workshops, under the Diversity Role Models was set up in 2011 by a banner Educate and Celebrate, giving teacher in the wake of the suicide of bullied practical advice about how to make schoolboy Dominic Crouch, and, like Stone- schools LGBT friendly. Elly is a music wall, arranges for gay role models to go into schools to talk to students teacher and diversity course leader at direct. Stoke Newington School, which, in the light of her success, has become a diversity training centre. The next course Other organisations is on 19th June, 2012. As a result of the programme, the schools has been All the main teaching unions offer advice and resources on tackling recognised by Ofsted as a centre of best homophobia, as do most anti-bullying organisations (see www. practice for successfully challenging homophobic bullying. The website antibullying.net). EACH (Educational Action Challenging Homophobia, also contains a variety of articles and other resources. www.eachactionorguk) and JAAHB (Joint Action Against Homophobic Bullying, www.intercomtrust.org.uk) provide further support.

Gary Snapper Editor

12 June 2012 The Importance of Being ... Out Why Sexuality Matters in English

Chris Waugh reflects on his experiences as a gay English teacher, arguing that openness about sexuality is a crucial element of the work of the English classroom.

If I were given the opportunity to speak for ten minutes to and responses. It must allow students the scope to test my fifteen year old schoolboy self, I would give that their ideas and it must offer plenty of room for the student angry kid the information that I know for a certainty to err. A potent tool for encouraging this tolerant would have made a real difference to his life. One of the environment is to step into it as a teacher. Introducing an Chris Waugh first things I would tell him is that Oscar Wilde was gay. It aspect of myself, like sexuality, to become part of the teaches English at the London Nautical is with that young man in mind, and the thousands of classroom discourse, offers that conversation the gravity of School, Lambeth. them who have passed through the threshold of my personal attachment. It allows students to explore their classrooms since then, that I am open with my students own tolerant attitudes and indirectly demands that such about my being a gay man. tolerance is shown towards many forms of difference. Those two decades ago when I sat in an English classroom reading Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being The Importance of Being … Honest Earnest, my teachers managed, in what on reflection was a mightily sophisticated censorship effort only possible in Fast-forward to 2012 and the modern English classroom. a pre-internet era, to suppress any mention of the Oscar Wilde still features, as do many of my other gay homosexuality of its author, let alone the subtext of the brothers and sisters from the great British literary heritage. play itself. Given that we were also shown Stanley Now it is illegal to discriminate against me or any of my Kubrick’s 1971 version of A Clockwork Orange in all of its gay students on the basis of our homosexuality. Yet now, ultraviolent glory, I am now struck by the question: ‘What in the boys’ school in which I teach, I am still alone as an was so dangerous about Oscar Wilde that we had to be openly gay teacher and I know no students who identify protected from him?’ as gay. 25 years later, it is as if I am still the only gay in I developed a teenage obsession with the Merchant- the village. Ivory production of E. M. Forster’s A Room With a View. I Today my sexuality is an asset to me as a teacher. I am had watched the film, carefully recorded in VHS with vastly more effective as a gay teacher than I could ever be pauses for the ad breaks, hundreds of times through my as a (sexuality-undisclosed) teacher. The Importance of teenage years and into my early twenties. I felt deeply Being Earnest is taught in the full light of day. When betrayed by my teachers and prior educators when I Algernon or Jack go off ‘Bunburying’ no one in our finally discovered at university that Forster, Wilde and many other authors who I had an affinity with were gay. If I were given the opportunity to speak for It was as if I had been denied my own inheritance. It was only then, after being on this planet for 20 years, that I ten minutes to my fifteen year old schoolboy first started to believe that I had a place, a voice, an self, I would give that angry kid the entitlement and a sense that there was a group to which I belonged. All of this might have been afforded to me by information that I know for a certainty would my English teachers, if they had simply had the courage to have made a real difference to his life. One of speak the truth. If I had gone on to tell that troubled young man that a number of his teachers were likely gay the first things I would tell him is that Oscar as well, I might have saved the fellow a decade of angst Wilde was gay. It is with that young man in and a heck of a lot in therapist fees. I can, however, tell mind, and the thousands of them who have that truth to the fifteen year olds I see in my classroom each day. passed through the threshold of my A successful classroom in English must encourage the classrooms since then, that I am open with my open and free expression of ideas, perspectives, values students about my being a gay man.

June 2012 13 classroom turns a blind eye to the inference of that very norm, and the inevitable challenges of homophobia, both direct neologism (just read it slowly). In the Morris direct and insidious, are so much more easily confronted Gleitzman novel, Two Weeks With the Queen, when we from a position of openness. It has always been a paradox discover that Ted’s lover is actually a man and is dying of of some interest to me that, in a domain so incredibly AIDS and not cancer, a full and frank discussion ensues intimate and personal as the teaching of English to about the gay people we know and I can share my own children, the dominant advice to gay teachers has been to experience of losing loved ones to the disease. Carol Ann maintain a distant, oblique presence in the classroom, to Duffy is allowed to be lesbian and her interest in keep our personal selves ‘on a low light’. This, to me, re-imagining historical figures suddenly makes sense. We seems the wrong approach. can have fun speculating on exactly what influence Siegfried Sassoon had on the uncommonly handsome The Importance of ... Sexuality in Wilfred Owen during their short time together in that the Classroom hospital in Edinburgh during WWI. The opportunities go deeper than this. My openness Some of our students are gay. Just as some are female, sets a precedent for open and frank discussion on all some black, some Muslim - and it is our obligation to subjects in the classroom. The subject of English reaches generate an environment where they feel safe, respected its full majesty when it arches towards consideration of and where their individuality is celebrated. These students identity, culture and sexuality. Tolerance can be cultivated have a right to be represented in the curriculum. It should in a classroom where honesty and self-acceptance is the be as absurd to consider suppressing an author’s sexuality as it would be to suppress their gender or race. And the The subject of English reaches its full case for gay people is so much stronger. While most who are in the minority in society at least have a family who majesty when it arches towards share this experience, gay people often grow up in consideration of identity, culture and straight households. They don’t have a refuge at home to sexuality. Tolerance can be cultivated in a which they can retreat from the sense of being an outsider and the frequent persecution associated with it. They classroom where honesty and self- often don’t have adults at home who share their acceptance is the norm, and the inevitable experience of growing up different. The opportunity for us to create a place where these young people feel challenges of homophobia, are so much acknowledged and entitled is enormous. It can, quite more easily confronted from a position of literally, be life saving. openness. If the strength of this argument is not self-evident, you need only to look at the statistics. The lesbian, gay and

14 June 2012 bisexual charity Stonewall’s research identifies that 60% of While most who are in the minority in young lesbian and gay people say that there is no adult at school nor at home with whom they can talk about being society at least have a family who share this gay. It is unimaginable that 60% of children any other experience, gay people often grow up in minority might have no-one to talk to about their identity. Aside from the value to all students in showing acceptance straight households. The opportunity for us of difference in the classroom, we have a primary to create a place where these young people responsibility to those gay kids, and a secondary feel acknowledged and entitled is responsibility to the straight kids, to teach tolerance for all. English is about exploring and understanding the enormous. It can, quite literally, be life making of meaning. The means by which we make saving. meaning asks us to examine different perspectives. We consider the ethnicity, gender, class of an author or a character in order to fully understand their intentions, their ..as a high moral tone can hardly be said to conduce very actions - to make meaning of the text. Sexuality is as much to either one’s health or one’s happiness, in order important a perspective as these others. Ignoring it to get up to town I have always pretended to have a undermines a text. When first reading Earnest, I was younger brother of the name of Ernest, who lives in the amused by Lady Bracknell’s obsession with surface over Albany, and gets into the most dreadful scrapes. (The substance, but I was betrayed as an English scholar in Importance of Being Earnest, I.83) being denied the opportunity to examine the gay political subtext of her determination to elevate the maintaining of appearances to the status of a religion. The cleverness of the multiplicity of the character of John/Jack/Ernest The Importance of Being … Yourself with Worthing was not simply a farcical conceit - it was deep Your Students social commentary, gay commentary, written by a gay man Authenticity is one of the most prized dispositions in the whose experience of the world informed his writing so classroom and young people can ferret out insincerity and deeply that it is inextricable. The same is so of me as a half-truths with lightning acuity. One of my favourite and teacher. My sexuality informs my teaching and to deny my most memorable moments in teaching occurred in my students access to that information is nothing more than an earlier years when I worked in a rural school. I was act of ‘Bunburying’ of the highest order. working with a challenging group, mainly boys. Shakespeare was the topic and I was earnestly trying to

June 2012 15 tease out of them a response to a question about Romeo’s The English classroom is an ideal environment for the belief in fate. A particularly disengaged young man put his interrogation of the importance of sexuality in schools. hand up, for what felt like for the first time, and I eagerly The history of homosexuality is very much a coded one, nominated him to speak. ‘Are you gay?’ was the question. in which homosexual literature has often been a powerful It was a small town, he knew the answer to this question, form of cultural resistance. Some of the most effective but my answer to this question was what mattered. The usages of modern language have been seen on the instinct to demur was strong, but to my enduring pride, I placards of anti-homophobia rallies. It is about time this managed to squeeze out a calm-sounding, ‘yes’. From that brilliant material, with its message of tolerance and moment forward all the class’s resistance to learning cleverness in delivery, starts to surface in the national disappeared. examination papers, as examples of a sector of our wider Young people need to see courage and honesty in the social discourse. people around them. They test us for it and they are attracted to, and show tremendous trust in, those who ‘Homosexual agenda: Spend time with Family - Be embody those qualities. This opportunity for me to Treated Equally - Buy Milk’ demonstrate my confidence in my students, my willingness to be true to myself, my belief in the relevance of my sexuality to my role in the classroom is a moment of courage. This moment immediately shatters the The Importance of … Challenging invisible panes of carefully maintained unspoken anxiety Assumptions and Representations around the subject of homosexuality; moreover it is an act My use of the Stonewall-backed anti-homophobic bullying of faith in the students I work with. My experience has film FIT as source material for a study of the spoken affirmed the maxim that the best way to be trusted is to language of South London youth is an example of where show trust. material with explicit gay, lesbian and bisexual content is used for another purpose. The study of contemporary The Importance of … Teaching Tolerance spoken language encourages the exploration of unique variances in spoken language as it relates to social groups. As education achingly re-orientates itself to face the The language of sexuality in modern society is rich with challenge of meeting the needs of the 21st century child exactly the textured interpretations that are needed for there is an increasingly strong argument for bringing developed responses to this task. Even the examination of sexuality into the light of day; both the sexuality of the the use of the word ‘gay’ alone in modern conversation teacher and the sexuality of the student. The modern demands a wide set of analytical approaches. ‘Gay’ classroom has deconstructed the old frameworks of traditionally meant ‘happy’, latterly has meant teacher authority in favour of a student-centred approach ‘homosexual’, and has evolved more recently in urban to learning. As a result, teachers rely on authentic learning slang to mean ‘stupid’ or ‘undesirable’. The mobility of the relationships with their students to be effective. This is an word ‘gay’ offers a unique opportunity to explore the opportunity to transform our classrooms and face these relationship between language and society. In doing so, 21st century challenges head-on. With the consideration of we de-stigmatise its use, we clarify the effect of its sexuality as the prism, a classroom can become more pejorative use, and we advance the students’ authentic, tolerant, critical, capable of managing understanding of language. ambiguity, aware of subtext, responsive to change and The film is not presented as a social issues drama, but aware of the power of media, language and literature. as a source for other linguistic investigation. The inference here is powerful: the gay content is incidental, naturalised, Authenticity is one of the most prized and the film is examined on its wider merits. Because I’m open about my sexuality, my entire classroom has this dispositions in the classroom and young character. It is a room where a homosexual frame of people can ferret out insincerity and half- reference is native, and where other frames of reference, truths with lightning acuity. Young people introduced by the students, become important contributions, adding to the conversation. This subtle need to see courage and honesty in the challenge to the assumption of heterosexuality is people around them. They test us for it and necessary if we wish to demonstrate inclusiveness to highly sensitive gay students, and it has the additional they are attracted to, and show tremendous benefit of encouraging the heterosexual students to trust in, those who embody those qualities. question their own assumptions. My sexuality informs my teaching and to deny The study of English can encourage challenges to the assumption of heterosexuality. My being a homosexual my students access to that information is reader allows for exploration with students of ideas of nothing more than an act of ‘Bunburying’ of readership participating in the construction of a text, well before such abstract concepts are formally introduced to a the highest order. learning programme. Through my taking a clearly defined

16 June 2012 personal stance in relation to a text, my students are challenged to do the same. Immediately they are As education achingly re-orientates itself to catapulted out of the security of acquiring my response as face the challenge of meeting the needs of if it were their own and instead they become eager to develop their own personal response. By making my the 21st century child there is an increasingly personal perspective uniquely relevant in the classroom, I strong argument for bringing sexuality into am igniting the desire in the students to do the same - to the light of day; both the sexuality of the differentiate themselves from me by expressing a perspective that is true to their own unique self- teacher and the sexuality of the student. The perception. Nothing could be more fulfilling for an English modern classroom has deconstructed the old teacher than engaging in a conversation with a group of students where each is defending their experience and frameworks of teacher authority in favour of interpretation, and presenting it as something they are a student-centred approach to learning. As a teaching or introducing with its own unique value. Through placing a high value on my unique perspective, I result, teachers rely on authentic learning invest my students’ point of view with the same value. relationships with their students to be Another aspect of this critical process that has been effective. This is an opportunity to transform highly fertile in the classroom has been an examination of the universality of heterosexual representation in the our classrooms and face these 21st century mainstream world. This has led to some brilliant challenges head-on. discoveries on the part of students of similar disparities in the representation of diverse genders, cultures, religions and ethnicities. Suddenly the students begin to notice the The Importance of Being … Courageous paucity of black faces in print advertising or of the representation of every bank manager on television as a The young people in our care need us to face the truth middle-aged man. Naturally, these conversations are not about sexuality. The ones who are gay, lesbian or bisexual limited to me as a gay teacher; however my position in are listening and watching with urgent interest for any society allows me to express a perspective that rings of sign of our position on their sexuality. The straight ones authentic experience. I am not only a conduit for the need our help to interpret the conflicting and coded experiences and ideas of others but I speak also from the messages they’re being sent about homosexuality. What authority and intimacy of my personal experience. better way to do this than through the study of English? The processes of re-framing a challenging problem, re-creating a series of events in an altered time-frame or Risk, risk anything! Do the hardest thing on earth for physical setting, presenting an argument by exploring its you. Act for yourself. Face the truth. (Katherine contrary dimensions are all highly prized critical strategies Mansfield) in English. My homosexuality has afforded me a differing perspective from the mainstream which I can offer to the students as a means of illustrating these processes of deeper critical thinking - particularly in the goal of The images illustrating this article are stills from the 1996 encouraging them to develop their own unique personal film Beautiful Thing (by Jonathan Harvey) with Glen Berry response and taking into account their culture, gender, and Scott Neal sexuality, religion.

June 2012 17 18 June 2012 Some Students Are Gay Tackling Homophobia in English

Lydia Malmedie outlines ways in which English teachers can help tackle homophobia in schools, and describes resources available from Stonewall, the charity which campaigns for equal rights for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals.

What does sexual orientation have to do with teaching English? A great deal. Take, for instance, all the background. Not just kind of superfluous like – oh, and discussions of relationships between fictional characters in they were gay – but talking about how they were gay Lydia Malmedie is literature classes you undoubtedly lead. Sexual orientation and the effect on their lives the same way that we talk Stonewall’s Education Officer. is there implicitly already - only generally the assumption about other background things when we’re talking about someone in context. (Adyna, 18) is that of heterosexuality. While the majority of the population is straight, Government estimates suggest that six per cent of the population are lesbian, gay or bisexual. Since lesbian, gay and bisexual issues are hardly ever You don’t have to be a maths teacher to figure out what mentioned in class and families with gay parents and that means for a class of 30 students. But this isn’t just carers are often not talked about, it isn’t very surprising about gay people – it’s also about those pupils who have that homophobic bullying is endemic in Britain’s schools. gay friends or family members. The Teachers’ Report showed that homophobic bullying is the most common form of bullying after bullying because of weight. Over two thirds of young gay people have What’s the problem? been homophobically bullied - but pupils who have been Stonewall’s 2007 research, The School Report, found that taught about lesbian and gay issues in a positive way are seven in ten lesbian, gay and bisexual young people have 13 per cent less never been taught about lesbian and gay people or issues likely to in class and that over 60 per cent feel there isn’t an adult experience it. at home or at school who they can talk to about being They are also 60 gay. Where gay pupils or those with lesbian, gay or per cent more bisexual family members don’t see their reality and lives likely to feel reflected in class, this can make them feel invisible and happy at school not part of a school community. (The School Based on a YouGov poll with over 2,000 school staff, Report, 2007). Stonewall’s groundbreaking research The Teachers’ Report Homophobic found that nine in ten primary and secondary school bullying doesn’t teachers say lesbian and gay issues should be addressed only affect gay in school or in specific lessons. However, over a third of young people or secondary school teachers and almost two thirds of those perceived primary school teachers have not addressed it in their as gay. It can classrooms. affect any student who might not When you’re learning about someone in a lesson, often conform to kind of like a writer, you learn about their background gender and often the things that have influenced their work stereotypes or somehow and often race comes up and sex. I remember behave like a this a lot from English writers and then finding out after ‘typical boy’ or a I’ve studied a book that they were gay and it was just ‘typical girl’ or never mentioned and it must have had a really big effect who is simply on their life, especially when you do historical figures. It perceived as would be nice for that to be mentioned as part of the different. Like all

June 2012 19 a lesbian when discussing the Poet Laureate’s poems. One reason is that teachers are unsure about what they are and aren’t allowed to talk about; another is that they don’t have the confidence to address it. This is partly due to the legacy of a damaging piece of local government legislation - Section 28. This law, prohibiting the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ and labelling same-sex families as ‘pretend’ family relationships, never really applied to schools but resulted in teachers worrying whether they were allowed to talk about gay issues or characters in class. Introduced in 1989, the law was finally repealed in 2003 but its effect is still felt today.

Not sure of the law – I know I am not allowed to promote homosexuality and am not sure what this involves. (Zoe, teacher, independent primary school, London)

Nine in ten primary and secondary school teachers have never had any training on how to prevent and tackle homophobic bullying, and more than a quarter of secondary school teachers would not feel confident in supporting a young person who came out to them. Furthermore, two in five would not feel confident in providing pupils with information, advice and guidance on lesbian and gay issues (The Teachers’ Report, 2009).

Education for All

Stonewall’s ‘Education for All’ campaign was launched in 2005 to combat this legacy and raise awareness of homophobic bullying and its impact. We have since been working successfully in coalition with over seventy organisations to influence policy and make sure teachers have the skills, confidence and tools to challenge other forms of bullying, it can seriously impact on pupils’ homophobic bullying and talk about lesbian, gay and self-esteem, attendance and attainment; half of gay young bisexual issues in class in an age-appropriate way. people who have experienced it say they’ve skipped Stonewall works closely with national and local school because of it (The School Report, 2007). government as well as national agencies and teacher Including LGB issues in teaching helps prevent training providers to achieve this. In its Education White homophobic bullying because pupils get the chance to Paper The Importance of Teaching, the Department for talk about their stereotypes and challenge each other’s Education made tackling homophobic bullying one of its assumptions. It also gives greater confidence to students priorities and has since published new advice for schools who are gay as they feel acknowledged. on tackling all forms of bullying including homophobic bullying. The Equality Act 2010 and the public sector A law with a legacy Equality Duty now require all schools, including free schools and academies, to take proactive steps to There are many different reasons why English teachers eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity might fail to mention, for example, that Carol Ann Duffy is and foster good relations amongst different groups. The emphasis on tackling homophobic bullying and Including LGB issues in teaching helps changes in equality legislation leave no doubt that schools can and should talk about lesbian, gay and bisexual issues prevent homophobic bullying because in class and this will now also help them to stand out in pupils get the chance to talk about their Ofsted inspections. Under the new framework for school stereotypes and challenge each other’s inspections which came into force in January 2012, inspectors will look for evidence on what schools are assumptions. It also gives greater doing to challenge homophobic bullying. The guidance confidence to students who are gay as they for inspectors furthermore makes specific reference to lesbian, gay and bisexual students as a specific group feel acknowledged.

20 June 2012 whose needs have to be met. Good schools will be able It’s in English that you can give gay and to demonstrate how they ensure all students, including gay pupils, have access to information they need and can lesbian students coming to terms with their feel safe. identities the material they need, while helping pupils who perhaps come from Talking about it in English backgrounds where ‘the gay thing’ is at best All young people, including those with gay friends or taboo and at worst openly ridiculed some family or who will grow up lesbian, gay or bisexual, want to see their lives reflected in school and to feel part of the insight into how it feels to be different. school community. Teachers don’t need to teach a ‘gay lesson’ but should be prepared to acknowledge and talk From First World War Poetry to about lesbian, gay and bisexual issues as part of lessons. Shakespeare… This doesn’t have to be difficult. Apart from these general opportunities, there are many Just this year a new English teacher joined who is gay, I specific topic areas in the English Literature curriculum think, and he has one of the Stonewall ‘Some People where you can provide students with the important Are Gay, Get Over It’ posters in his classroom. I don’t do opportunity to talk about sexuality. War poetry is one English but I know him because I go to debating and he example. While themes of loss and fear and political runs that. Just seeing the poster in his room is really outrage are routinely explored when studying trench cool, especially at a school where it’s never mentioned, poetry, the simple fact that war poets such as Wilfred none of it is ever mentioned. So just to see that in his Owen and Siegfried Sassoon would now be identified as room is really cool – rare, but nice to see. (Mike, 17) gay is rarely mentioned. Yet themes of love, friendship and camaraderie take on a whole new dimension with If there’s one subject where pupils explore their feelings that additional knowledge. and other people’s lives, as well as reflect on the changing uses of language, it’s English. By exposing students to poetry, novels and plays from other cultures and other times, teachers give space to their imaginations, their empathies and their understanding of other human beings. It is the ideal arena for discussing feelings, values and morals. Poetry takes on emotions directly, while fiction, either novels or plays, allows the safe discussion of themes which might prove incendiary if approached in other subjects. Attaching issues to characters makes those issues both safer – this person isn’t real at the end of the day – and yet somehow more immediate. It allows readers into other people’s heads. It’s in English that you can give gay and lesbian students coming to terms with their identities the material they need, while helping pupils who perhaps come from backgrounds where ‘the gay thing’ is at best taboo and at worst openly ridiculed some insight into how it feels to be different. It allows pupils to confront their own prejudices, assumption and fears. Mentioning that writers like Sarah Waters, Christopher Isherwood, Patricia Highsmith, Jeanette Winterson or Truman Capote are gay provides all pupils with an important piece of information for thinking about and discussing their motivation and representation in literature. For gay students, this acknowledgement will be important to make them feel more part of the school community. The subject is also a place to discuss how language and meaning changes - such as the meaning of the word ‘gay’ for example. Teachers can discuss how groups can positively reclaim terminology such as the word ‘dyke’ - but it is also in this context that students come to realise the power of language and the damage it can do. This greater awareness can have a direct impact on the use of homophobic language and homophobic bullying.

June 2012 21 And then there’s Shakespeare of course. You could homophobic bullying, Stonewall has produced a range of reflect on the fact that during his times only men were innovative and practical resources, including training allowed to act, and how this is the basis of much comedy, DVDs for primary and secondary school staff ideal for a romance and tragedy in plays such as As You Like It, lunch-time session or twilight-INSET. The Spell It Out Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. Traditional DVD for secondary school staff addresses issues like gender roles and stereotypes – and why it’s OK not to live challenging homophobic language in the classroom, up to them (the basis for a lot of homophobic bullying, corridor and staff common room and how to respond even of straight pupils) – are easy to discuss in this when a pupil comes out. context. In addition to the DVDs, teachers can turn to Stonewall’s Education Guides on topics like supporting I teach English so this does come up. I am careful (when lesbian, gay and bisexual pupils, working with faith I remember) not to make assumptions about communities, and effective school leadershi,p and get relationships with the students. I discussed inspired by by good-practice case studies. Shakespeare’s sonnets which are possibly addressed to a For further lesson ideas, teachers can get hold of Oh No! young man and the idea of gay relationships in the Not The Gay Thing! - a wall-hanger for the secondary Renaissance period. (Heather, teacher, independent secondary school, London) school staff room with lesson ideas for seven different subjects, including English, as well as a frequently asked question section. And then of course there’s FIT – Whenever the subject of love comes up – as it will Stonewall’s highly-acclaimed, powerful film for secondary when studying poetry or literature in general – it’s schools students about being oneself, coming out and important to acknowledge that some people fall in love getting along. with members of the same sex. Simple - but so important for gay students who are often brought up with the idea that homosexuality is about sex and love is for straight Stonewall Education Programmes people. It’s also important for straight students to see that In addition to our resources, Stonewall’s programmes human emotions like love are universal and not the provide tailored support to local authorities, schools and preserve of any one group. young people in talking about lesbian, gay and bisexual issues and tackling homophobic bullying. Resources that make it easy The Education Champions programme provides an opportunity for local authorities to work with us, and each Since nine in ten primary and secondary school teachers other, to create a safe and inclusive learning environment have not had any specific training on tackling for all young people. Launched in 2009, more than 50

22 June 2012 local authorities in England are now part of this and the curriculum. Find out more at www.stonewall. programme and receive bespoke training to support their org.uk/schoolchampions. local schools in tackling homophobic bullying. Find out Young people play a central role in the ‘Education for more at www.stonewall.org.uk/educationchampions. All’ campaign through our Youth Volunteering Programme Reflecting the change in the education system with and we also work directly with young people through our more schools turning into academies outside of local Talent Programme and our Pride Youth Event. We authority control, Stonewall launched the School provide information and guidance to young people Champions programme in November 2011. Over 80 through our website: www.youngstonewall.org.uk and we primary and secondary schools have since become work with other youth organisations to help make them members and work with Stonewall to embed anti- gay-friendly. homophobic bullying work through policies, staff training

What you can do

There are many easy things you can do, starting from • Find out whether your local authority is an Education today: Champions by visiting our website www.stonewall. org.uk/educationchampions. • Remember that some students will be gay or have lesbian, gay and bisexual fam`ily members and • Get hold of a copy of FIT and use it in class or friends. organise a screening in assembly over a period of time. • Acknowledge lesbian, gay and bisexual authors and provide opportunity for pupils to talk about gay • Arrange for an INSET session with colleagues on issues and homophobic language in class. challenging homophobic language with our staff training DVDs Spell It Out! or Celebrating Difference. • Order Stonewall’s resources and download lesson plans at www.stonewall.org.uk/educationresources. • E-mail us with your lesson ideas and any feedback or good practice examples [email protected]. • Attend Stonewall’s Education for All Conference, 5 July 2012, The British Library in London. Register at • Tell colleagues from other schools about Stonewall’s www.stonewall.org.uk/educationconference. resources and the School Champions programme.

• Sign-up your school to become a School Champion For more information, consult www.stonewall.org.uk/ for a free seminars, resources and much more at educationforall or contact Lydia at education@stonewall. www.stonewall.org.uk/schoolchampions. org.uk.

June 2012 23 FIT – the feature film adaptation of Stonewall’s highly successful play for schools

Students respond best to teaching materials that are relevant to their chapters over consecutive weeks. Some schools have chosen to focus lives and experiences. FIT, Stonewall’s feature-length film for schools, is on one chapter that explores a particular issue they wish to discuss. The an intelligent, powerful and entertaining film that can be used in DVD also contains a series of video diaries, giving students the English lessons in a variety of ways. It tackles the issue of homophobic opportunity to listen to the characters talking more in-depth about their bullying in a culture where everything from not liking sport to wearing feelings and the situations they are facing. The video diaries can also act the wrong trainers is ‘gay’. Especially created for Key Stage 3 and 4 as a starter for students to discuss their own personal experiences and students, and relevant also to sixth-formers, the film complements observations. various learning objectives from the National Curriculum, including The accompanying 16-page booklet highlights the main themes in each English and Performing Arts. of the individual stories and suggests questions to consider making it Through the individual stories of six young people, the film explores - easy to prepare lessons around the film. A copy of the screenplay is amongst other themes - relationships, conflicts, bullying and sexual available through Amazon and allows for work on the text while the orientation. The story follows them as they battle through a minefield high-energy songs and clever lyrics can be downloaded from the of exploding hormones, awakening feelings and homophobia as they Stonewall website. attempt to fit in, stand out, discover their own identities and accept each other. Themes

How to use FIT in your school FIT is a fantastic vehicle to explore many elements of the English curriculum. As an education and campaigning tool, students can discuss Based on a play seen by over 2,000 young people, the film FIT is split what the purpose of the resource is and how it communicates with its into seven chapters allowing teachers to screen the whole film as a intended audience, and how the representation in mainstream media of drop-down day, using exercises to explore and discuss a range of gay people compares to that in FIT. The film can also be used to explore themes and issues between each chapter, or by watching individual character development. What assumptions do we make about each character and why? What challenges do each of the characters face and how do they approach these differently? How do the characters relate to each other and how and why does this change? Through the range of topics addressed and the range of viewpoints expressed by the characters in the film, students are given the opportunity to evaluate their own views and interpret and explore the views of others.

FIT also enriches a class on the change in use of language and its development in general without having to specifically address lesbian, gay or bisexual issues. However in the context of spoken language and slang, teachers can talk about the common use of ‘that’s so gay’ and ‘you’re so gay’ and the impact this can have on people. One story in particular, Karmel’s story, focuses on how the use of ‘gay’ as a derogatory term can affect others, especially gay people themselves. Another chapter talks about the words and phrases we still use today that are derived from Shakespeare and raises the subject of Shakespeare’s sonnets written to a ‘fair youth’, which can be used to discuss how sexual orientation might influence a writer’s work.

These are just a few examples of the many creative ways FIT can be used to discuss a range of issues relevant to the lives of young people. The film also addresses issues such as coming out, perceptions of gay people, homophobia in sport, whether sexual orientation can affect careers, and different families.

We want to hear from you!

Some teachers who have already used FIT in class have sent us their lesson plans - why not share your ideas with us, so we can promote them to other schools too. We’re always looking for best practice examples and would like to hear how you‘ve used FIT

To find out more about FIT, for further resources and to order a copy of the film visit www.stonewall.org.uk/fit or e-mail chris.dye@ stonewall.org.uk.

24 June 2012 Other Cultures, Other Sexualities? Including Sexuality in Secondary English

Drawing on interviews with students and teachers, Helen Sauntson and Kathryn Simpson reflect on the Helen Sauntson is a Senior Lecturer at ways in which the English curriculum encourages teaching about race and gender but discourages York St John attention to issues of sexuality. University. Kathryn Simpson is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham. Sexuality in schools: the big picture that the curriculum could play a part in making sexual diversity more visible and acceptable in schools. However, Sexuality in schools is just beginning to be recognised as a the Stonewall Reports also identified a lack of training and serious issue in the UK. Homophobic bullying is currently confidence in dealing with sexuality issues amongst identified by the government as a major area of concern teachers. This is a key issue that emerged clearly in the in schools, given its detrimental effect on the mental interviews with English teachers that we carried out in our health of children and young people who identify as gay, own research, as we discuss later. Importantly, it is not lesbian or bisexual, or who are questioning their sexuality. only the LGBT pupils who are affected by homophobia in Reports published by the gay rights organisation Stonewall schools but everyone hearing homophobic language or UK (Hunt and Jensen, 2007; Guasp, 2009) draw attention witnessing and/or experiencing homophobic behaviour is to the problem of homophobic bullying in UK secondary affected. Therefore, it is important to tackle issues around schools in stark terms, prompting a growing recognition homophobia not just as a means of ensuring the well- that homophobia is prevalent in all aspects of schooling in being of LGBT (and all other) students, but also to enable the UK, and that equality and diversity issues around all teachers and students to feel confident in discussing sexuality have not been addressed as directly as those and dealing with sexual diversity. around other types of discrimination such as racism. Other The importance of tackling homophobic bullying in surveys also corroborate these findings, such as the schools is starting to be addressed through various Prevalence of Homophobia surveys conducted by the government policies and guidance documents. The National Union of Teachers in the North West of England current government’s over the last few years (2009-2012). Pearson, Muller and ‘programme for Wilkinson (2007) provide an overview of various research government’ which has repeatedly found that same-sex-attracted youth document pledges its achieve lower academically than their other-sex-attracted commitment to ‘help counterparts. They note that same-sex-attracted youth are schools tackle at a higher risk in general of mental health problems bullying in schools, which can lead to disengagement from learning and social especially withdrawal, both of which impact negatively on academic homophobic bullying’ achievement. The research presented in this paper focuses (http://www. on how curriculum intervention and change may be one cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ strategy for tackling heterosexism and homophobia in media/409088/ schools. We draw on data from interviews with English pfg_coalition.pdf). teachers and LGB-identified young people, as well as This aim is re-iterated analysis of the national curriculum itself, in order to in the Department for explore how our participants experience and understand Education’s (2011) sexual diversity issues in relation to the English curriculum discussion document in secondary schools. on the future of Importantly, the two Stonewall Reports (Hunt and teacher training. In Jensen, 2007; Guasp, 2009) found that where pupils feel 2009, the Single that they have been taught about LGBT issues in a Equality Bill, entitled positive way LGBT pupils are 13% less likely to A Fairer Future, was experience homophobic bullying, and 60% are more likely introduced. This was to be happy at school and to experience their school as a precursor to the an accepting, tolerant and welcoming place. This suggests introduction of the

June 2012 25 Equality Act (brought into effect in 2010) designed to No Outsiders, 2010; Youdell, 2005). Epstein et al (2003) tackle discrimination based on race, gender, disability, age, identify schools as sites where heterosexuality is repeatedly sexual orientation, religion or belief. In addition to this constructed as normal and sexualities which transgress this legislation, the previous and current governments have norm are silenced, often in quite tacit ways. This is an also provided published guidance and support which important point as it emphasises that particular forms of relates specifically to gender and sexuality in UK schools. behaviour and uses of language do not have to be overtly For example, the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning homophobic in order to be experienced and identified as (SEAL) strand of the Primary National Strategy specifically such. McCormack and Anderson (2010) similarly find that, highlights gender and sexual orientation as key areas in a co-educational sixth form college in England, male which need to be given more attention in the curriculum. students are able to perpetuate dominant discourses of Introduced under the Children Act in 2004, Every Child heterosexuality even when homophobia is absent. There is Matters requires local authorities to make provision for also evidence to suggest that when students feel excluded ‘every child, whatever their background or circumstances from school because of their sexuality, this can have a to have the support they need to be healthy, stay safe, negative impact on their school engagement, well-being enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and and, ultimately, their levels of attainment (Hunt and achieve economic well-being.’ It also stipulates that all Jensen, 2007; McDermott et al, 2008; NUT, 2009-2012; young people should ‘feel safe from bullying and Pearson, Muller and Wilkinson, 2007; Roen et al, 2007). discrimination.’ But how effective are these policies and Other research has examined more closely the processes pieces of legislation and guidance? Are they really working through which heteronormativity and homophobia actually to reduce levels of homophobia and promote acceptance occur in schools. Duncan (2006) has examined the of diversity around sexual orientation in schools? Recent prevalent use of the term ‘gay’ as an insult and observes academic research suggests that there are still serious, and that ‘gay’ is mainly used to denote boys who do not often quite complex, issues to be considered in relation to possess enough of the qualities fitting the ideal male sexualities and schooling. stereotype of the dominant peer-group. In the schools that Duncan visited, hypermasculinity had a hegemonic status Researching sexuality in schools within the school culture. The use of ‘gay’ as an insult was a key way of policing masculinity in the schools and was In addition to the Stonewall reports, other research has thus used more as a means of policing gender rather than identified schools as sites which are overwhelmingly as an accurate way of referring to known or out LGB characterised by heteronormativity and homophobia (see, students. Youdell (2005) and Airton (2009) similarly note for example, Allan et al, 2008; DePalma and Atkinson, how heteronormativity is linked particularly to sex and 2009; Duncan, 1999; Ellis and High, 2004; Epstein and gender. Airton (2009) observes that gender non-normativity Johnson, 1998; Forrest, 2000; Morrish and Sauntson, 2007; and queerness is often conflated in the school environment. Therefore, one way of tackling the problem is to increase gender diversity. In addition to the research discussed above, a number of studies have specifically argued for curriculum and teaching intervention strategies to be used as a means of combating homophobia and increasing students’ awareness and understanding of sexuality issues in a broader sense. One such project is that of the No Outsiders team who conducted action research focused on the use of primary classroom resources to address sexuality issues and, in particular, to counteract discourses of heteronormativity. Focussing on the use of materials which challenge heteronormativity in primary school lessons (for example, the use of storybooks containing LGBT-identified characters and the use of drama work focused around sexuality and gender issues), the project team found that the children in the study responded well to the range of character identities and relationships represented in the storybooks and drama activities. A key element of our own research has involved conducting a close analysis of the English Key Stage 3 and 4 National Curriculum programme of study documents to understand how these documents set up particular positions concerning sexual diversity. As we discuss below, we found that the English curriculum is worded in ways which discourage teachers from openly incorporating sexual diversity issues into their teaching.

26 June 2012 English and sexuality in Birmingham

We wanted to explore these wider issues in more detail and in a local context and set up a small-scale qualitative study carried out in the Birmingham area. We interviewed five English teachers working in a variety of secondary schools in the area and fifteen young LGB-identified people (aged between 16 and 23) who attended, or had recently left, Birmingham secondary schools. All of the young people attended a LGB youth group in Birmingham. This was the only practical way of accessing openly LGB young people for the research and it had the additional advantage of providing a context in which the young people could talk about their school experiences, but away from the school itself. The teacher interviews lasted for 30-45 minutes and the young people interviews lasted for approximately 20 minutes. Due to the potentially sensitive topic of discussion, the youth workers who ran the group acted as gatekeepers in the interviews with the young people. All interviews were recorded and transcribed in full. The interviews focused in particular on investigating the teachers’ and young people’s perceptions of the ways in which sexuality is discursively constructed in the English National Curriculum. Our research focuses on English for two main reasons: firstly, it is a core statutory subject in the National Curriculum for England and Wales; secondly, several of our research participants suggested that English was a subject which potentially would lend itself well to Amy (young lesbian-identified woman): addressing issues around sexuality. A key finding from the interviews with young people Amy: I remember reading - what’s the book called, was that they generally felt English to be a more liberal brilliant book - The Color Purple and creative subject than some others. English is seen as a Int: oh yea subject where there are no ‘right or wrong’ answers, and Amy: fabulous book - I stayed up all night reading it therefore having much potential for discussing different thinking this - you know - when they got like a dialogue opinions and interpretations. The English teachers also in books that’s kind of done in an accent and you come recognised the potential of this subject for opening up down the next morning and you kinda talk in that accent discussion of questions around sexuality and sexual [both laugh] - it was one of those books for me but … diversity, through the use of fiction in particular. However, even with that it wasn’t really mentioned which to despite this potential, all interviewees felt that sexuality me was like surely that’s a huge part of this book issues were still not addressed at all through the delivery of Int: yea the English curriculum and so this perceived potential was not being realised, as the following interview extract Amy: but maybe it’s because I was still - you know - I was still quite young - I don’t know really but that was shows: only mentioned in passing

Pat – English teacher: In this extract, Amy perceives a dissonance between the Pat: I think English is a great subject for having discussion on everything, so there’s maybe something we can theme of lesbian sexuality which, in her reading of The actually bring in more but I am wary because for a start I Color Purple, emerged as a major theme (‘that’s a huge part don’t want to impose things on other teachers who of this book’) and the silence around this issue in her might not feel the same as me and also - we will get English classes. In the section of the interview which complaints, huge complaints from parents followed, Amy explained how her English teacher spent much time focusing on the issues around racial and ethnic diversity which are raised in the novel, but the parallel Significantly, Pat emphasises potential complaints from issues concerning sexual diversity were markedly absent parents as a key reason for not addressing sexuality issues from the teaching. It seems then, that Amy’s English in her English teaching, as well as not wanting to ‘impose teacher felt confident in dealing with issues concerning things on other teachers’. These concerns were expressed racial diversity (which are explicitly addressed in the by other teachers in the study. Another example from the English curriculum programme of study documents) but young people interviews is illustrated in Amy’s discussion not with sexual diversity (which are not mentioned of the teaching of The Color Purple in her English classes: explicitly in the English curriculum). In the extracts below,

June 2012 27 Ann (English teacher) and Fay (young bisexual woman) a prescriptive document, it does seem to offer possibilities similarly recognise that fiction texts are routinely used in for exploring sexuality issues as part of the programmes of English to address issues around ‘race’ and ‘culture’ but not study. Descriptions of what is to be studied within each of around sexuality. the key skills are fairly broad and open-ended, and there seems to be scope for teachers interpreting those Ann (English teacher): descriptions in such a way that sexuality could be addressed through their delivery of the subject. Yet, as we Ann: I’m just thinking of some of the poetry that’s on you know at key stage 4 - it’s not really - I mean we do have already seen in the interview extracts above, both the poetry from different cultures which brings up lots of young people and teachers in the study commented on the issues but it doesn’t address sexuality directly - lack of visibility of non-heterosexual identities in the curriculum and its delivery. So why is this potential not there’s nothing - and it addresses race a lot but it doesn’t realised? One of the reasons for this failure could be what - sexuality isn’t there is linguistically absent from the documents – the literal Fay (young bisexual woman): absence of terms referring to sexuality and to sexual Fay: in English class we mostly just talked about other diversity from the programme of study descriptions and groups - we didn’t really talk about gay people or accompanying explanatory notes. In fact, one of the homophobia - we always talked about like other people English teachers recognises that a reason for sexual basically - other cultures and stuff diversity not being explicitly addressed in English lessons could simply be because of its absence from the curriculum – meaning that teachers are ‘not forced to In order to consider why this may be the case, we confront’ it: turned our attention to the content and language of the English curriculum itself. Ann – English teacher:

Ann: I’m just trying to think now - which it can be Studying the programmes of study avoided too easily - I suppose it’s not openly addressed - it’s not something which people are forced to In addition to the interviews, we conducted a detailed confront I suppose through the texts that they linguistic analysis of the English National Curriculum teach programme of study documents to see if and how the curriculum itself constructs certain positions and ideologies around sexuality. The linguistic analysis of the Key Stage 3 One such example of where sexuality is markedly absent and 4 programmes of study revealed a number of from the programme of study is found in the explanatory interesting issues concerning sexuality. On the one hand, notes for the Key Stage 4 ‘language structure and variation’ despite the fact that the National Curriculum for English is element of the curriculum. This strand states that students should explore ‘the ways in which language reflects identity through regional, social and personal variation and diversity’. Here, the explicit mention of social and personal variation and diversity seems to lend itself well to exploring variation around sexuality, as sexuality is an integral aspect of social and personal identity. However, the explanatory notes which accompany this section of the curriculum put restrictions on its possible interpretations:

The ways in which language reflects identity: These could include accent, dialect, idiolect, lexical change, varieties of standard English such as Creole, occupational variation, and differences in language use according to age and gender. (Key Stage 4: Language Structure and Variation – Explanatory Notes)

There is a marked absence around sexuality here, as the differences in language use listed do not specify sexuality as a form of sociolinguistic variation. Although the explanatory notes function only to offer suggestions as to how teachers may interpret and implement each section of the programme of study, the very absence of sexuality (and the concurrent visible presence of other social variables such as age and gender) probably means that teachers are much less likely to include it in their delivery of this part of the curriculum.

28 June 2012 Another example of sexuality being absent from a part of the curriculum in which it might be expected to appear Pat – English teacher: occurs in a thread which we refer to broadly as ‘social Pat: I was listening to Carol Ann Duffy on that variation/diversity’. Particular kinds of social variation are programme the other night reading some of her poems referred to throughout the programmes of study, especially - and of course we did Carol Ann Duffy but we don’t in relation to representations of social identities in literature have any that have anything to do with sexuality and the construction of identities through language. Ann – English teacher: Examples include: Ann: the exam boards won’t deal with anything that • This could include relating the way women are might be remotely controversial in their exam papers ... a presented in literature to the attitudes and behaviours lot of teachers are afraid of what parents are going to of a particular period, and understanding that say and you know there’s this big sense that that you’re attitudes and behaviours change over time. always being watched (laughs) and that you know everything you say in the classroom goes out - you know • Themes could include images of men and women, place and identity, and narrative voice/viewpoint. - and I don’t think that is the case but I think we’re a bit paranoid as teachers (laughs) you know - are we allowed • These could include accent, dialect, idiolect, lexical to have this conversation these days - you know - and change, varieties of standard English such as Creole, what if a member of senior management walks in and occupational variation, and differences in language use we’re having these conversations - you know - it’s that according to age or gender. kind of a fear I think that staff have- which is wrong really Again, we can see that, whilst social identities based on gender, nationality, age and occupation are present in this Here, Pat notes that the works of Carol Ann Duffy, an list, sexuality is conspicuously absent. In a special issue of openly lesbian poet, appear in both the English National the Gender and Language journal dedicated to exploring Curriculum and the GCSE poetry anthology being used in the language of homophobia, Morrish (2011), Leap (2011) her school. Despite several of Duffy’s poems focusing and Peterson (2011) all discuss how homophobic upon sexuality, Pat points out that these particular poems formations can emerge from texts which, at face value, are absent from the curriculum. Ann’s response suggests appear to be ‘value-free’. Morrish states that ‘homophobia that the examination boards perceive explorations of may still be the result even when overt homophobic sexuality in texts as being more ‘controversial’ than messages are not part of the text’s content’ (2011: 328). In exploring other forms of social identity such as race, educational contexts, DePalma and Atkinson (2006: 334) ethnicity and gender. The labelling of sexuality as a have also pointed out that heteronormativity is ‘maintained ‘controversial’ topic supports notions of sexuality as a not only in terms of what is said and done, but also in taboo subject in schools (e.g. DePalma and Atkinson, 2006; terms of what is left out of the official discourse’. It seems Epstein et al, 2003). The interviews suggest that teachers the case that homophobic language, therefore, can be feel constrained by exam pressures, particularly at Key enacted as much through what is not said, as through what Stage 4, and are reluctant to engage in what they perceive is said and this is evident in the English programme of as risk-taking in deciding how to deliver the curriculum study texts. It seems that in the English National and GCSE examination syllabi. We argue that if sexuality Curriculum, it is the very absence of sexuality as a form of was more explicitly included in the curriculum documents, social identity which effects a discourse of heterosexism by this would help to ‘validate’ it as an area of study in erasing the possibility of sexual diversity. English, and therefore help to allay teachers’ fears by One place in the English curriculum where sexuality offering them some sort of protection. could be interpreted as being included is in the list of recommended authors that appear in the explanatory notes ‘A deafening silence’ for ‘Reading’ in both Key Stages 3 and 4. Whilst some known LGB-identified authors are included in these To conclude, we have attempted to unpack the linguistic reading lists (e.g. Carol Ann Duffy, Oscar Wilde) there is basis of what Atkinson refers to as ‘a deafening silence no explicit mention in the curriculum documents of how surrounding sexuality and sexual orientation’ (2002: 127). the works of these authors may be used to explore and She is speaking here about the curriculum for Initial address issues around sexuality. In fact, this apparent Teacher Training in the UK but the same can be said for incongruity was noted by both the teachers and young the secondary school curriculum as well. Our research so people in the interviews (as we have already seen from far has revealed that there clearly seem to be opportunities Amy’s discussion of The Color Purple). Some teachers went for delivering the English curriculum in ways that enable on to explain that they felt these opportunities to discuss the exploration of sexuality issues, but there is sexuality issues were not taken because of an anxiety on simultaneously a marked absence of sexuality in the the part of teachers in terms of not feeling confident of English curriculum in that it is not explicitly mentioned in raising such issues but also because of the fear of a ways that other forms of diversity are. Our analysis of the negative response from the pupils, other staff and school programme of study texts suggests that the English managers and a lack of support in tackling such issues. curriculum is worded in ways which discourage teachers

June 2012 29 from openly incorporating sexual diversity issues into their Ellis, Viv and Sue High. (2004). Something more to tell you: Gay, English teaching. This is supported through the teacher lesbian or bisexual young people’s experiences of secondary schooling. British Educational Research Journal 30, no. 2: and young people interviews. This can have the effect of 213-225. perpetuating discourses of heteronormativity in the English Epstein, Debbie and Richard Johnson. (1998). Schooling classroom which can exclude and be detrimental to the sexualities. Buckingham: Open University Press. well-being of all students but especially to those identifying Epstein, Debbie, O’Flynn, J. and Telford, D. (2003). Silenced as lesbian, gay or bisexual or who are questioning their sexualities in schools and universities. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham sexuality. Furthermore, the teachers in our study repeatedly Books. point not only to the English curriculum’s omission of Forrest, S. (2000). Difficult loves: Learning about sexuality and reference to sexual diversity as an obstacle to discussion of homophobia in schools. In Education, Equality and Human Rights: these issues in their classrooms, but also to there being a Issues of Gender, ‘Race’, Sexuality, Special Needs and Social Class, lack of support from their institutions and a lack of training ed. M. Cole, 99-117. London: Routledge Falmer. that would enable them to have the knowledge and Guasp, April. (2009). The teachers’ report: Homophobic bullying in Britain’s schools. London: Stonewall. confidence to deal with homophobia in a direct and effective way, and we can infer, to raise issues of sexual Hunt, Ruth and Jensen, J. (2007). The school report: The experiences of young gay people in Britain’s schools. London: diversity in their classrooms. In such contexts, prejudices Stonewall. are confirmed and those critical of homophobia are often Leap, W. (2011). Faggot! Interrogating language and silenced. What is needed is the creation of a whole-school homophobia. Gender and Language 4, no. 2: 179-185. culture which promotes equality and diversity at all levels McCormack, Mark and Anderson, E. (2010). ‘It’s just not – from policies to classroom practice and outside the acceptable any more’: The erosion of homophobia and the classroom as well. softening of masculinity at an English sixth form. Sociology 44, no. Discussions with colleagues in our own institutions have 5: 843-859. revealed a need to address these issues at initial teacher McDermott, E., Roen, K. and Scourfield, J. (2008). Avoiding shame: Young LGBT people, homophobia and self-destructive training level, as well as a part of continuing professional behaviours. Culture, Health and Society 10, no. 8: 815-29. development for in-service teachers. Work with students on Morrish, E. (2011). Situating and resisting homophobic discourse: initial teacher training courses is a vitally important way of Response to Leap, Junge, Peterson and Provencher. Gender and beginning to tackle all forms of homophobia circulating in Language 4, no. 2: 323-335. our schools. In order to fully tackle all forms of Morrish, Liz and Helen Sauntson. (2007). New perspectives on homophobia circulating in our schools, we urgently need language and sexual identity. Basingstoke: Palgrave. to address the silences around homo and bisexuality, as National Union of Teachers. (2009-2012). Prevalence of well as the overt homophobic language practices. homophobia surveys. NUT. Curriculum intervention, training around sexuality issues, No Outsiders Project Team. 2010. Undoing homophobia in and getting whole schools on-board with a genuine primary schools. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books. commitment to equality and inclusion are all essential if we O’Higgins-Norman, J. (2009). Still catching up: Schools, sexual are to address and challenge these silences and absences orientation and homophobia in Ireland. Sexuality and Culture 13, no. 1: 1-16. around sexual difference and diversity. Pearson, J., Muller, C. and Wilkinson, L. (2007). Adolescent References same-sex attraction and academic outcomes: The role of school attachment and engagement. Social Problems 54, no. 4: 523-542.

Airton, L. (2009). From sexuality (gender) to gender (sexuality): Peterson, D. (2011). The ‘basis for a just, free, and stable society’: The aims of anti-homophobia education. Sex Education 9, no. 2: Institutional homophobia and governance at the Family Research 129-139. Council. Gender and Language 4, no. 2: 257-286. Allan, A., Atkinson, E., Brace, E., DePalma, R. and Roen, K. et al. (2007). The Cultural Context of Youth Suicide: Hemingway, J. (2008). Speaking the unspeakable in forbidden Identity, Gender and Sexuality. ESRC project report. places: Addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality Youdell, D. (2005). Sex-gender-sexuality: How sex, gender and in the primary school. Sex Education 8, no. 3: 315-328. sexuality constellations are constituted in secondary schools. Atkinson, E. (2002). Education for Diversity in a Multisexual Gender and Education 17, no. 3: 249-70. Society: Negotiating the Contradictions of Contemporary Discourse. Sex Education 2, no.2: 119-132. Internet references DePalma, R. and Atkinson, E. (2006). The sound of silence: Talking about sexual orientation and schooling. Sex Education 6, The Coalition: Our Programme for Government no. 4: 333-349. http://programmeforgovernment.hmg.gov.uk/schools/ DePalma, Renee and Elizabeth Atkinson (eds.) (2009). (Accessed 1.7.11) Interrogating heteronormativity in primary schools: The work of ______the No Outsiders project. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books. iLGBT is an acronym for ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans’ where Department for Education. (2011). Training our next generation ‘trans’ refers to a number of gender identities including, of outstanding teachers: An improvement strategy for discussion. transsexual, transgender and transvestite. In our own research, we Duncan, Neil. (1999). Sexual bullying: Gender conflict and pupil only interviewed young people who identified as lesbian, gay or culture in secondary schools. London: Routledge. bisexual. Duncan, Neil. (2006). Homophobia, misogyny and school bullying. Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, University of Warwick, 6-9 September 2006.

30 June 2012 Truths Universally Acknowledged Reading for Gender in Pride and Prejudice

Jack Williams reflects on what happened when he asked his all-male Year 11 class to think about constructions of masculinity in Pride and Prejudice.

‘You could tell the difference’ which were given a correspondingly lower status as a result. It was also acceptable to use language that might When I was at school there was a teacher who used to be perceived as homophobic (for example the use of the Jack Williams reminisce about the days ‘when boys were boys and girls word ‘gay’ as an insult), and which certainly suggested teaches at the City of London School were girls, and you could tell the difference’. It was one narrow, straight-jacketed thinking about the many of his catchphrases. Another was: ‘when they cut me different possible ways to be a man. open I’ll be blue and white inside’. Blue and white were Of course, it could be argued that this is something the school colours, and one of the places they were worn, many teenage boys go through, a phase that is the naturally enough, was on the rugby pitch on Saturday product of teenage insecurity and the search for identity mornings. that characterises adolescence. And although I am not I was never there, however, because I didn’t play rugby. overly concerned, in the long term, about the attitudes my I was hopeless at all sports, in fact. I couldn’t throw, or students may have about these issues – I think, on the catch and I lacked co-ordination and speed, as well as any whole, that they will grow up to be fine young men, and interest in playing games. This was not a boy being a not bigots – it does bother me, on a short-term, pastoral boy, in my teacher’s view: I know this because he once level, that boys who do not fit the hegemonic masculine called me a ‘poof’ for losing a running race during a PE ideal might be unhappy or, even worse, bullied by their lesson. I was ten. He was nicer to me after that, but I classmates. suspect only because my mother complained, which For this reason I decided to undertake an action probably made matters worse as far as he was concerned. research project with the aim of investigating further what After all, not only did I not like rugby, but I was a boys thought about gender, and to see if there was mummy’s boy to boot. And what kind of a boy is that? anything I could do to enhance and broaden their I think that many people’s thinking about gender has understanding of manhood and masculinity. I hoped to moved on since then: after all, rugby players can now be be able to give boys the tools to think critically about the gay, and footballers can cry. We increasingly understand roles men are expected to play in our society, something that the qualities we might associate with manliness (or which to me seemed particularly important in an evolving boyhood) are not necessarily innate, and that there isn’t world, in which gender roles are changing and where it is just one way to be a man – as Butler (1990) suggests, masculinity is performative, something we ‘do’ in a way that varies according to social and institutional context. As a teacher in a single-sex school I was Like Connell (1987) it is better to use the term sometimes discouraged by the behaviour ‘masculinities’, and to think about the way our society privileges some of these discourses and marginalises that I observed. It appeared that traditional others. signifiers of masculinity, such as physical But what do the boys we teach think? As a teacher in a power or athletic prowess, were often more single-sex school I wanted to find out, in part because I was sometimes discouraged by the behaviour that I highly valued than other characteristics, observed amongst the students I taught. It seemed clear which were given a correspondingly lower to me that much of their thinking about gender in general and masculinity in particular was, to say the least, lacking status as a result. It was also acceptable to in nuance. It appeared that traditional signifiers of use language that might be perceived as masculinity, such as physical power or athletic prowess, homophobic. were often more highly valued than other characteristics,

June 2012 31 out of the research; in the end I thought that a group of Some respondents demonstrated an high-achieving Year 11 students would have the sufficient apparent awareness of the performative maturity to fully engage with the topic. Secondly, and as a result of this decision, I had to find a way of integrating nature of masculinity, with one student the action research into the existing IGCSE curriculum – in writing for example that men should be the Spring Term, when the work would take place, boys able to cry, but must also demonstrate a would be preparing for their summer examinations. I decided that the best way of doing this was for the boys to ‘tough outer layer’. study one of their Literature set texts, Pride and Prejudice, through the lens of masculinity and gender. They would no longer necessarily the case that ‘boys are boys and girls gain a full understanding of the text, its style, are girls and you can tell the difference’. After all, these characterisation and themes, but they would do so from an boys will eventually have jobs in workplaces that, some unusual perspective which would hopefully also make the commentators argue, have become increasingly ‘feminised’ course more enjoyable for them. and in which traditionally masculine traits are not valued. Pride and Prejudice might not, at first glance, have Whether or not this is true (and many feminists would still seemed an obvious choice for a project of this kind. say it is a man’s world) boys and young men should However, although ostensibly a novel about women and certainly be able to look with clear eyes at some versions for women (some boys complained beforehand that it was of masculinity, and to choose whether they wish to inhabit a ‘girls’ book’) it actually has a great deal to say about men them. Do men really have to drink heavily, or play rugby, and masculinity. It features many male characters, some or fight, to be men? If you like romantic comedies, or the significant and others more incidental, through which colour pink, or you don’t like beer, does that make you Austen presents a number of different ways of ‘doing’ less of a man? This is particularly important, perhaps, in masculinity, some of which are privileged – for example, boys’ schools that could be said to promote a particular Mr Darcy – and others that are not (for example the foolish brand of masculinity at the expense of others – the football Mr Collins). It is a novel, in part, about the way society squad might have a high profile while the debating team shapes male behaviour and expectations, particularly in might not. To the extent that this is the case, we owe it to relation to women. And because of its appeal to many our students to show them that there are other possibilities. women, and afterlife as a film starring Keira Knightley and a TV series starring Colin Firth, it provides a useful jumping-off point for a discussion about the way gender Pride – and Prejudice? shapes our decisions as readers. In seeking to undertake practitioner-led research of this The most significant choice I had to make concerned the kind, I was fortunate in that I teach English – a subject way I would approach the topic. What was the best way which lends itself to discussions about masculinity in ways of encouraging boys to think about gender? My reading led that other areas of the curriculum may not. However, me to think about the use of critical literacy techniques in there were still decisions to be made. Firstly, I had to my teaching. Critical literacy, which as an idea is more decide which of my students would really get something common in the US and Australia than the UK, has several important basic tenets. To be critically literate, first of all, is to understand that we live in an unequal world, in which power is unequally distributed, and that the language we use and the texts we read (and the way we read them) reflect this. Gilbert and Rowe (1989, p.16) suggest that ‘when we write, and when we read, we enter into the dominant and accepted sets of social meanings’. In other words, both texts and readers are steeped in the values of the society that produced them. Critical literacy encourages students to understand this process, and aims to empower them to analyse the way both they and others read texts. In terms of reading for gender, students should follow Reid (1989) in her effort to ‘read as a woman’ – i.e. to ‘confront and oppose much that we usually do as readers, in order to articulate things otherwise suppressed’. So I had a plan. In order for students to gain an understanding of the way gender is constructed by texts, I would use some of the critical literacy activities suggested by Martino and Mellor in Gendered Fictions (2000), an excellent teaching resource. I would conduct my research using qualitative methods, with the aim of measuring my students’ engagement both with the course they were undertaking and the novel itself, as well as assessing their

32 June 2012 attitudes towards masculinity and manhood before, after and during the research. And I would collect data in a variety of ways: through the use of field notes and still photography, audio recordings of lessons and (self- selected) focus group, as well as worksheets and other written assignments completed by participants.

Boys, men and masculinity

What, then, did the boys think about men and masculinity? My initial survey of their ideas, taken from a questionnaire each of the students in the class was asked to complete, revealed a mixed picture. As perhaps might have been expected in a liberal, cosmopolitan school in a diverse capital city, a number of respondents gave answers that appeared to indicate an understanding of masculinity that went beyond ‘traditional’ or hegemonic conceptions of gender. The idea that men should be ‘caring’ was fairly widespread, for example, and a number of students stated that there was a great deal of diversity among men – and no such thing as an ideal man. However, many of these students also stressed the importance of more traditional signifiers of masculinity (e.g. height, muscularity, hairiness) and took as role models men, mainly athletes or sportsmen, who might be seen to illustrate some or all of these qualities. Conversely, the majority of students did not align themselves with traditionally marginalized or stigmatised models of masculinity. Only one student chose a homosexual celebrity as a role model (and, interestingly, chose to submit his survey anonymously) and a small without the risk of self-revelation. As the project number of respondents seemed to adopt, perhaps progressed, boys seemed to become more comfortable, provocatively, an almost stereotypically chauvinistic stance: and more fluent, in discussing issues of masculinity and one boy said that a man ‘should be courteous to inferiors manhood. There was, increasingly, less recourse to such as women’. Some respondents demonstrated an humour as students became accustomed to the use of apparent awareness of the performative nature of critical literacy activities; boys appeared to welcome the masculinity, with one student writing for example that men opportunity that these provided to write and speak about should be able to cry, but must also demonstrate a ‘tough masculinity and literature in a more subtle, complex and outer layer’. Another group of students, however, wrote in discriminating manner. Activities adapted from Gendered a self-consciously glib or amusing fashion, perhaps Fictions allowed students to consider the ideas about indicating their embarrassment at addressing the issue at gender that they bring, as readers, to a text. For example, all. A similarly mixed picture emerged from the first focus to make the students question their assumptions about groups and lessons that I took, where some boys gender, I re-wrote an early scene in Pride and Prejudice continued to make jokes that expressed their own where Mr Bingley is talking to Mr Darcy at the Netherfield discomfort, commenting for example that the sandwiches ball. In my version, Charlotte and Elizabeth are speaking, provided contained ‘masculine’ bacon and ‘gay’ lettuce. and the result is peculiar, creating a strange dissonance Similar attempts at humour were made in the second between the way we expect men and women to behave lesson of the course, when students were asked to and what they seem to be saying: complete a questionnaire about their early experiences of gender; one student, for example, shouted to another that Mr Darcy had been obliged, by the scarcity of ladies, to ‘I’ve done a survey and it turns out you’re GAY’. sit down for two dances; and during part of that time, Elizabeth had been standing near enough for him to overhear a conversation between her and Charlotte Gendered Fictions Lucas, who came from the dance for a few minutes to press her friend to join it. This was all very tiresome, but with the introduction of Pride and Prejudice, interestingly, things improved. Using ‘Come, Lizzie,’ said she, ‘I must have you dance. I hate to the novel as a focus made the discussion much less see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. personal, and much less focused on the students You had much better dance.’ themselves, and therefore easier for them to engage with ‘I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I

June 2012 33 black and white but lots of shades of grey. They aren’t so am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an different’. assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your brothers are engaged, and there is not another man in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to ‘Are men and women opposite?’ stand up with.’ Many students also demonstrated an increasing awareness ‘I would not be so fastidious as you are,’ cried Charlotte, of the way in which power is manifested in texts, and the ‘for a kingdom! Upon my honour I never met with so ways in which some kinds of masculinity are privileged many pleasant gentlemen in my life, as I have this over others. In an activity designed to assess students’ evening; and there are several of them, you see, perceptions of which male characters in Pride and uncommonly pretty.’ Prejudice were set up by Austen as the most desirably masculine, boys were asked to rank the characters from This was found to be amusing, as well as thought- ‘most masculine’ to ‘least masculine’, with the majority provoking. One student felt that the scene illustrated the placing Mr Darcy at the top of the scale, and Mr Collins at fact that ‘We generally think of men as more powerful, the bottom. One boy noted in his journal that Darcy, active or assertive while women have actions done to them although in some ways atypical of what a ‘real’ man should (and) men do actions’. Journal entries revealed that be in his opinion, was presented by the novel in this way: students were increasingly thinking about the nature of ‘Interesting to see that even though a character like Darcy established gender roles, even if their opinions were not who seems to be passive with feminine qualities can be yet fully formed. One wrote that ‘in literature, we have a portraited (sic) as the most masculine figure in the book’. bias, or expected view of men and women’ and another There was heated discussion about the relative status of added that ‘It (the lesson) proved to us that women and male characters, as careful attention was paid to the ways men can be similar and (we felt) shock as it shows us (the) in which the text prepares readers to make judgements. fixed roles of men and women in society’. One boy, who Students were asked to list adjectives used to describe in a focus group had professed to an essentialist view of male characters, verbs used in association with them, the sex roles – ‘To be a man is to be almost like a ruler in way their names were used (e.g. the way that Darcy’s first some ways… to be in charge, the alpha male, the top dog’ name is hardly ever used, and what this implies about his – found himself thinking about gender in a different way. status) and other aspects of the way they were depicted. In a journal entry, he wrote: ‘Are men and women One student, for example, said that Mr Bennet, who is opposite? Can they not be somewhere in the middle? Not often seen in his study, was therefore being presented as ‘lazy’ and that this was typical of the way in which men are often portrayed: ‘they’re (seen as) lazy, they can’t be bothered to do anything’. There was also discussion of the status of married men in the novel, as the most desirably masculine characters are single; some students felt that marriage was equated with emasculation. In addition, by using critical literacy activities as an approach to the text, students gained an understanding that masculinity is a social construct that varies over time and between cultures. Two lessons were spent comparing the way in which Darcy is portrayed by Colin Firth in the BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice (1995) and in the original text. Students were asked to analyse the language used to describe Darcy in the novel, and then to think about the differences between this Darcy and the BBC representation, for which Andrew Davies wrote the famous ‘wet T-shirt’ scene, where Darcy swims across a lake in the grounds of Pemberley. Of this scene and an episode (also not in the novel) where Darcy is shown to be fencing - presumably as a physical outlet for his uncontrollable desire for Elizabeth - one student wrote that ‘The TV version shows a lot of… physical masculinity and how he expresses his feelings. The book does not go into much depth in terms of physical masculinity.’ Others added that both versions of the character were masculine, but in different ways. In my notes about the lesson, I wrote that there ‘Seemed to be an acceptance, generally, that ideas about masculinity and relative and culture/time-specific – not absolute’. This impression was borne out by the comments made by students in their journals, with one boy

34 June 2012 noting, by way of example, that ‘over time peoples their confusion by making rather bland comments, such as perception of what it is to be masculine have changed, as ‘It was interesting to see how in depth Jane Austen has the society around them changes. Overall, since the time made his (sic) character’. Such fence-sitting on the Pride and Prejudice was written, when masculinity was students’ part could reveal an unwillingness to risk being gentlemanlike and well mannered, the perception embarrassment by explaining that they were unsure about has now moved to a more physically dominated the issues under discussion. This was the case, to a greater masculinity where it is important to be strong and sporty’. or lesser extent, for a small number of boys throughout the This is, of course, rather reductive: but demonstrative, course at various times. For example, one student, when nonetheless, of this student’s increasingly sophisticated looking at the way male characters were presented in the thinking on the issue. text, wrote that Mr Bingley had a ‘passive name’ – an observation that apparently makes no sense. Levels of engagement During the lessons on Darcy, I also observed in my lesson notes that I felt a particular point was ‘understood There was also a greater sophistication in the language and engaged with by some students, although perhaps not used to write and speak about men and masculinity. all – some students rather unengaged’. Indeed, some boys However, although every student became much more did seem to become more distracted as they approached nimble with the language he used, using words such as the end of the course, perhaps because of the complexity ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ with confidence, poor expression of the material and the sophisticated thought processes that on the part of some boys – at least some of the time – it sometimes demanded. Many of the boys who appeared to indicate a lack of understanding about some demonstrated the best grasp of the concepts under of the tasks they were undertaking as part of the project. discussion, who displayed the most interest during lessons One student wrote, of the TV version of Darcy, that ‘Film, and who tended to speak and write about gender in the even though written 200 years later; still portrays masculinititys (sic) in form of sports’. Another wrote that ‘In the film – he is nervous and shy, which is similar to By using critical literacy activities as an how a lot of men act today. This shows that masculinity is approach to the text, students gained an very much like people are today’. This somewhat muddled statement could be indicative understanding that masculinity is a social of a desire to please his teacher by saying the right kind of construct that varies over time and between thing. Other members of the group perhaps chose to hide cultures.

June 2012 35 for me the way in which your initial attitude affects the way you read the book and interpret it… I also caught a glimpse of how it is to read the book as a different person’. He also remarked that ‘the class behaved so well in the latter part of the lesson’, pointing to this as an indicator of engagement with the material. On the whole, the exit survey was very encouraging. Responses provided strong evidence that many students had indeed broadened their understanding of masculinity and manhood as a result of studying Pride and Prejudice using critical literacy techniques. Boys were often keen to point to a wider definition of manhood than they were at the beginning of the course, in terms of both physicality and personal characteristics. Even those students who did not interrogate the terms on which the questions were being asked were more likely to demonstrate an awareness (to a greater or lesser extent) of the performative nature of masculinity. One such respondent wrote in the ‘pre-test’ that a man should behave ‘dominantly and powerful’; in the exit survey, however, he stated that ‘He should behave most sophisticated manner also tended to be those who as he would like to behave… He should be free and showed most interest in the project in general. Several behave freely and not conform to the behaviours of man students of this type chose to attend focus groups during and its world’. This statement, while unclear, does at least their lunch hour, for example, and were keen to engage in recognise that men feel pressure to ‘conform’ to expected discussion about the project outside lesson time. It is also behaviours, and that such behaviours are not necessarily notable that many of these boys – i.e. those who were innate. both most interested in the project and relatively So what are the implications of this? For me there are sophisticated in their thinking – were also those whose several. Firstly, however qualified its success, there is initial responses to the ‘pre-test’ survey were the most evidence that the project enabled at least some students to thoughtful and discriminating. By the same token, those re-assess their attitudes towards masculinity, and that the boys who performed least well on paper were often those use of critical literacy techniques enabled this. But, who contributed least to class discussions. perhaps more importantly, it revealed that this is an issue that boys are interested in, one that they find important, Pride, Prejudice, and Critical Literacy and which they have feelings about, however embarrassing it can be to confront them. It is worth harnessing this The final lessons of the course, however, revealed that energy, not only because it provides an accessible route every student had made significant progress using critical into the teaching of a novel – where the students make a literacy activities. Both a discussion of what the current connection between the world of the text and their own popularity of Pride and Prejudice says about the nature of lives – but because it is important, for the students contemporary masculinity and an activity that asked themselves, for the school, and our society. students to critique different ‘readings’ of the novel (for example, ‘This novel is about the taming of a man’ and This article has been adapted from an account of an action ‘This novel presents men critically and women research project that was originally produced under the sympathetically’) were approached with confidence and auspices of the International Boys’ Schools Coalition. demonstrated the group’s awareness of the ways in which texts, and readers, create meaning. One student, for References example, noted that the final lessons, which invited

students to think about the novel as a whole, ‘highlighted Austen, J. (2003) Pride and Prejudice. London: Penguin Birtwistle, S. (Producer). (1995). Pride and Prejudice (DVD of The project enabled at least some students television series). BBC: London Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble. Routledge: London to re-assess their attitudes towards Connell, R.W. (1987). Gender and Power: Society, the person and masculinity, but, perhaps more importantly, sexual politics. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press Gilbert, P. and Rowe, K. (1989). Gender, Literacy and the it revealed that this is an issue that boys are Classroom. Melbourne: Australian Reading Association interested in, one that they find important, Martino, W. and Mellor, B. (2000). Gendered Fictions. Urbana, Illinois: Chalkface Press and which they have feelings about, Reid, S., (1989). Learning to ‘read as a woman’ in Teaching however embarrassing it can be to Women: feminism and English studies. (eds Thompson, A. and Wilcox, H.). Manchester: Manchester University Press confront them.

36 June 2012 Women’s Work? Perspectives on Gender and Learning in English

The majority of undergraduate students of English are women. How do they, and their male peers, experience university English? John Hodgson reports on gender in university English studies.

When the English Subject Centre of the Higher Education and one in each of the others. In order to gain the Academy asked me to undertake a focus group study of unfiltered experience of some of the male students, it students’ experience of studying English in UK higher seemed necessary to run at least one exclusively male John Hodgson is education (Hodgson 2010), one of their main concerns focus group within each institution studied. However, the chair of NATE’s Post-16 Committee was the experience of male undergraduates. Men arranging this proved much more difficult than had been and NATE’s comprise only about 25% of undergraduate English expected. Given the overall female/male ratio of English Research Officer. students (Gawthrope and Martin 2003), and the ESC students in higher education, I should have anticipated wished to understand their experience of studying what is that far fewer male than female students would present frequently characterised as a ‘feminine’ or ‘feminised’ themselves as participants in the focus groups. This subject (Knights 2008). It is sometimes claimed (Smithers difficulty was exacerbated by the increasing unavailability 2003) that the tenor of A Level English classes, where of students as the summer term progressed. Further, one female students are also frequently in the majority, may of the students selected for an all-male group (on the discourage or disadvantage males. Might the same be the basis of her ‘male’ name) turned out to be female. case in higher education? In fact, as the study Because of these complications, it proved possible to progressed, many of the women students expressed a interview only one all-male group, which comprised two sense of alienation from certain aspects of the subject, students from an older university. I therefore decided to while the men, although in the minority, appeared more address gender issues in the mixed and all-female groups comfortable in the academic environment. This also. The consequent analysis of the gendering of the unexpected finding will be explored in what follows. subject, as described in the words of these participants, proved a fruitful approach to understanding the experience of contemporary students of university English. Studying the students Regarding the gender of the students’ tutors, the focus Six universities were selected for the study: three older group participants from Longbourn, Lambton and institutions, two of which were members of the Russell Ashworth told me that there was a majority of female group, and three newer universities. To preserve tutors in their English departments. Pemberley students confidentiality, the final report (Hodgson 2010) gave each reported a slight majority of male tutors, while the a name derived from a location in Pride and Prejudice students at the other universities told me that the ratio of male to female English tutors was approximately equal. Ashworth (post-92 University College) (not included in This article cites the experiences of 27 students, listed this short article) on the next page. All of them were studying English Hunsford (post-92 University) Literature unless otherwise stated.

Lambton (post-92 University) 1. Men’s experience of studying English Longbourn (pre-92 Russell Group University)

Netherfield (pre-92 Russell Group University) The most direct evidence of male experience of undergraduate English came from Alan and Mark, the two Pemberley (pre-92 University) male students at Longbourn University who made up the all-male focus group. Alan’s previous experience of At my request, the universities circulated their English English had been extensively masculine in character, in students to invite them to take part in a focus group on that he had studied at a London boys’ grammar school their own campus. Sufficient students came forward to where the men who had taught him in the sixth form had run two focus groups in each of the pre-92 universities, chosen Tom Brown’s School Days as one of the A Level

June 2012 37 Students cited in this article • Lydia had studied A Levels in Art, English Literature and Welsh in a mixed sixth form. Hunsford University: • Martine had studied A Levels in combined English • Diana was a mature student in her late thirties. She had Language and Literature, History, Chemistry and Biology taken A Levels several years previously. at a mixed further education college.

• Elaine, a mature student in her forties, had studied a • Rebecca had studied Maths, Geography, English Literature range of subjects in a pre-university Access course. and English Language at A Level in a mixed secondary Lambton University: school.

• Jenny had studied A Level English Language and • Robert had studied A Levels in English Literature, History, Literature, Home Economics and Psychology in the sixth Geography and Economics in a boys’ secondary school. form of a mixed comprehensive school. Pemberley University:

• John, a mature student in his late 40s, was taking a BA in • Antonia had studied A Levels in English Literature, History English Language. In the past, he had studied electronics and Geography in a mixed secondary school. to A Level equivalent and English and Maths to GCE O level. • Becky had taken A Levels in Psychology, English, and Music in a mixed secondary school. • Yvonne had studied A Level English Literature, History and Business Studies in the sixth form at a secondary school • Bela had studied A Levels in Biology, French, Drama and English Literature in an independent school. Longbourn University: • Carrie-Ann had taken A Levels in a secondary school sixth • Alan had studied English, History and Biology at A Level in form including English Literature, History, Drama, Critical a boys’ grammar school. Thinking and General Studies.

• Caitlin had taken A Levels in English, Art and • Isabel had studied English in a mixed sixth form where Mathematics at an FE college. she had taken A Levels in English Literature, French, and • Françoise had been educated in France and had taken the Biology. French Baccalaureate with a British international option. • Justine had attended a single-sex secondary school where • Jessica had studied A Levels in English Literature, History she had studied A Level Chemistry, English, and Art. and Economics at an independent girls’ school. • Lynda had studied for the International Baccalaureate in a • Mark had studied English, French and Classics at A Level Dutch international school. in a mixed sixth form college. • Polly had studied in a mixed FE college and taken A Level Netherfield University: courses in English Literature, Philosophy, Film Studies, Government and Politics. • Alison had studied A Levels in English Literature, German and Theatre Studies at a mixed sixth form college. • Seamus had studied the International Baccalaureate at a Further Education college where he had taken higher • Holly had studied A Level English Literature, History and qualifications in English, History and Anthropology. Religious Studies in a mixed secondary school. • Tessa had attended a mixed secondary school where she • Luke had studied A Levels in English Literature, Art, had studied English Literature, English Language and Classical Civilisation, and Theatre Studies at a mixed History. independent school.

set books. Alan commented ironically that his East End This, in his view, was ‘quite a feminine approach’. school hadn’t exactly been Tom Brown’s Rugby, but the Mark had attended a mixed school where the A Level classroom atmosphere had, he said, been similarly class consisted mainly of girls and some of the teachers boisterous, and the teachers had engaged the students in had been women. ‘I’ve been sort of told,’ he said, ‘that a strategic approach to the texts to maximise their chances English is a sort of an effeminate subject to take. So I’ve of success in the A Level examination. There was a bond always been fighting with that and it hasn’t really affected between the male students and the teachers, who ‘had me.’ Since he had been at university, Mark had become that whole air about them of being one of the gang’, and ‘much more aware of the greater ratio of girls’, had handed out bullet points at the end of the lesson to noticed that most of his tutors were women, had seen that confirm the textual conclusions to which they had some of the options focused on women writers, and had directed the class. Coming to university, he said, was ‘a found that seminars tended to ‘move towards feminine little bit of a culture shock’: ‘not the mixed aspect but the readings and interpretations’. However, the gender aspect feminist reading of texts all the time and a far less direct of his university experience was not very different from approach to the issues that are raised in the text.’ Alan his previous learning context, and he said that his studies compared his A Level class to university seminars, where, in English had made him interested in ‘female related’ he said, there was ‘a far more open floor for discussion’. options.

38 June 2012 Alan expressed some hostility towards the affective women; a good proportion of the tutors were female; the element in the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy, commenting subject matter sometimes included feminist perspectives; that, in a poem about the birth of her first child, she and the overt pedagogic method was of inclusive, open seemed ‘extraordinarily wrapped up in her own emotions discussion. The assessment regime, however, appeared to and senses’. However, he said that he appreciated the emphasise the importance of isolated, individual effort, work of a female schoolteacher, an actress, who ‘was very and the tutor-student relationship was distant. capable in expressing the way [the play] would have been performed, and the way that actors would have behaved Confidence and contact and things like that’. This teacher ‘could sympathize with Seamus, at Pemberley University, the only male in a focus the characters far more than we could’ and highlighted a group of six students, also spoke with confidence about dimension of study that he felt was neglected by the male his experience of English. He was scornful of the teachers, who ‘were more wrapped up in the twists and attainments of the students with whom he had studied for turns and the outcomes of the plots rather than the the International Baccalaureate, and glad to be characters themselves’. As a male student, he thought surrounded by ‘intelligent’ people at university. He he brought a ‘different perspective’ to discussions at expressed a view of what was ‘proper’ in critical theory: a university; in a seminar on a Victorian novel, he had theoretical module in the first semester had included challenged the focus on feminist readings. However, he ‘proper stuff’ like formalism, but a recent three-week unit allowed the legitimacy of such readings in a patriarchal on feminism had been ‘lightweight’. Like most of the world where ‘it’s been masculine readings ever since day students, he was critical of the formulaic writing he had one’. been taught at A Level (‘I’ll tick the box, done, marked, I’m off’) and glad that he now had the opportunity to Masculine modes? write essays with a ‘burning idea’ that was exciting to Many of the female students interviewed for this study write about and that his tutors would find interesting, commented (as will be discussed below) on the low even if they disagreed with it. He wanted more number of contact hours and the overall lack of social opportunities for writing and a longer time to reflect on involvement in their university English course. Mark and the topic. He seemed confident in his student identity Alan echoed these comments, but their response had a and said that he had never occurred to him to question certain masculine tone. They adopted a robust approach why he had chosen a subject studied predominately by to the tutor-student relationship: in their view, it was up to females. the student to approach the tutor. ‘It is very important,’ Robert and Luke, the male students interviewed (along said Alan, ‘for a first year [student] to understand that with one female) at Netherfield, participated vigorously in university is more of a dialogue rather than a monologue. university life – Robert as a student journalist and Luke in In essays, if you do badly, they won’t necessarily say you the drama society. Robert saw the transition from school should come and see me. It’s only if you want to go and to university in terms of a leap into independence: he felt see them.’ that he had been ‘spoon-fed’ at A Level, whereas at Students needed, in Mark and Alan’s view, to take a university ‘people expect you to read a lot more strategic approach to their studies. The assessment regime independently and by yourself’. Robert felt that part of made essay writing (in Alan’s words) ‘the only thing that the difference in the learning and teaching culture was really matters on the course’, and thus, he felt, it was caused by the different sense of their vocation sensible to put effort into essays rather than into attending experienced by school and university teachers. ‘Your seminars. Alan told me he took pleasure in ‘creating new [school] teacher was under pressure to get a certain ideas’. It was important to have ‘critics to back [them] up’, amount of passes.’ At university, he felt, the tutors did not but he ‘didn’t want to rely on someone else’s argument assume the same responsibility for student grades. Robert too much’. It was necessary, of course, to have in mind took a kind of reverse consumerist view where the the preferences of the person who would mark the essay, responsibility was placed on the buyer rather than the and to take account of one’s status relationship with the tutor. (Alan felt that some of the younger tutors took a rivalrous stance and marked harshly ‘almost out of a sense Most of Mark and Alan’s fellow students of competition with your ideas’.) At the same time, as were women; a good proportion of the Mark pointed out, the anonymous marking system meant that tutors often had little to say to students: they tutors were female; the subject matter frequently had no real recollection of their work. Alan sometimes included feminist perspectives; would look at the mark his essay had gained, and read and the overt pedagogic method was of what the tutor had to say about it, but he wouldn’t ‘source out’ the tutor ‘to have a little discussion about it’. He had inclusive, open discussion. The assessment been focused on the next essay. ‘Turnover is the key,’ he regime, however, appeared to emphasise told me. Mark and Alan presented, then, a male response to a the importance of isolated, individual effort, learning context that might be construed as feminine in and the tutor-student relationship was certain respects. Most of their fellow students were distant.

June 2012 39 found a module on language and gender chastening: ‘To The girls admired the confidence and think of the way that women had been portrayed not just relaxation that some of the boys in literature but in scientific writing in the seventeenth and eighteenth century.’ He felt that ‘the lads in the class’ demonstrated in class. They found this would be thinking: ‘I don’t want to be associated with particularly surprising given their belief this.’ John spoke with enthusiasm about his sense of that English was a more natural subject for progress: ‘It’s amazing the capacity I’ve learned to look at language in use … I really notice everything even if it’s girls to study than for boys. ‘I mean this in just conversations with people or things I read or things I the nicest way,’ said Becky ‘but I think it hear or things on the sides of buses. It’s all language and it all now triggers all sorts of thoughts in my head … I takes a certain type of guy to do English.’ love it; it’s great.’

seller: ‘You’ve paid your money - if you don’t do the work that’s your problem.’ He appreciated his tutors’ support, 2. Women’s experience of studying English but he complained about having to pay the same fees as The women in the focus groups spoke more about the did other students who, he claimed, received much more men (although the latter were in the minority) than the tuition. men spoke about the women. Women expressed more Luke said that the most obvious difference between his awareness than did men of the difference in numbers sixth form and university course was the much-reduced between the genders. Becky, in Pemberley, remembered contact time. He linked this to an expectation of thinking in her first lecture: ‘I should have done independent, rather than guided, reading. In his view, engineering!’ Some said that they welcomed the presence however, the bigger culture shock of moving to university of male students in seminars. When Antonia, in from A Level was not the low contact time but the small Pemberley, said that in her seminar group the boys amount of writing expected. He claimed that, when usually came up with more interesting points and would studying for A Level: ‘Usually I’d have two or three essays ‘push the argument further’, there was murmured to write a week; whereas now it’s six assessments at the agreement from some of her peers. Bela said she liked end of the semester.’ He had expected ‘loads of writing’. the presence of males in seminars with a feminist agenda However, he preferred university tutors’ expectations of - without them, she thought, ‘[the discussion] becomes a essays: ‘They’re looking for an argument … there is more bit one-sided.’ Antonia agreed: ‘We had guys in the focus on coming up with your own ideas about the text.’ seminar when we were discussing feminism, which made He had ‘become used to working by myself so I find it it interesting to see how they were responding to the easier to do it that way … I probably don’t speak to the texts, because to read them as women is very different to tutors as much as I could.’ Like Robert, he appeared to reading feminine texts as guys.’ Several of the female feel there was a safety net of tutorial assistance (personal students were anxious about the feelings of males in such or by email) that could be accessed if necessary, although classes. Yvonne, in Lambton, suggested that the male staff were stretched, especially at assessment times. students in a class on nineteenth-century women writers would feel uncomfortable ‘because they are aware of Lads and language things that happened in the past and how women were John was a distinctive figure in the Lambton focus group classed as second-class citizens’. Some of the female in that he was male, a mature student, and taking a students expressed distance from feminist discourses. degree in English Language. He had the confidence of a Carrie-Ann, at Pemberley, had disliked the stance of a man who had been employed for many years and ‘done female tutor who had announced: ‘If all the boys in the other types of writing’. He gave the impression of room left, it wouldn’t make much of a difference.’ enjoying a ‘hands-on’ mode of English study: he liked Yvonne (Lambton) thought: ‘A lot of girls tend to go over group investigations and other collaborative work in the top on the whole feminist thing and search for Language and defined himself as ‘well read’ owing to his feminist issues that maybe aren’t there.’ In more than one use of information books and twenty years’ experience of group, women students expressed a sense of the internet. (He was ‘amazed’ that Literature students embarrassment and reticence at being thought a feminist. would read whole literary texts every week.) He praised Lynda (Pemberley) said the girls would shy away from his tutors, who gave useful guidance on reading - ‘books, being labelled as feminists, while male students would try articles, internet sites even’ - and had excited him by to accommodate a feminist position. introducing him to critical discourse analysis (‘quite a revelation to me’). John would contact his lecturers while While several of the girls expressed concern for the he was writing an assignment. He would ask: ‘Does that feelings of boys who found themselves discussing feminist look like a good plan for an essay? - and they’ll give you issues in a largely female group, they also admired the feedback then or by email.’ He appreciated the ‘varied’ confidence and relaxation that some of the boys assessment programme, which included peer review of demonstrated in class. As Holly (Netherfield) put it: ‘They presentations: ‘It was fantastic. Instant feedback each are always laid back in the chair … and they’ll just throw week.’ Despite his upbeat view of his studies, he had something in at the end.’ The girls found this particularly surprising given their belief (expressed in various ways)

40 June 2012 that English was a more natural subject for girls to study ‘the whole poststructuralism thing was huge to me, it than for boys. ‘I mean this in the nicest way,’ said Becky opened my eyes’ said Lynda (Pemberley) - others found it (Pemberley), ‘but I think it takes a certain type of guy to ‘really difficult’ (Polly, Pemberley). Carrie-Ann do English.’ She thought he would be ‘not the most (Pemberley) had come to understand that the literary- macho kind’. Rebecca (Netherfield) suggested: ‘We cultural concepts were not really difficult: ‘It’s just the [women] don’t have to make any sacrifices or go against phrasing they used to make it sound really heavy.’ She the grain to do it.’ Lydia, in the same group, felt that an thought that ‘the subject matter is predominately feminine engineering student would regard her as stupid and that, and does require very feminine ways of thinking’, but the talking to him (the imagined student was implicitly male) argumentative method required in seminars and essays she would feel ‘a bit of a cliché … talking about all these was ‘quite masculine’ and required ‘a slight desensitising’, … pretentious ideas’. She thought that this fear was as ‘you’ve got to cast aside your personal opinions and probably irrational, ‘a female thing’. To her, subject tried not to let them affect an argument or the way you choice and gender combined to create a sense of see the book’. Isabel agreed that the focus of reading was inferiority to those who studied the masculine outer ‘often about society and general themes such as race and world. religion’. Polly felt that the subject matter was not feminine in the sense that ‘we don’t really talk about Making (male/female?) meanings emotions in the books we read’, and said that, in her Although several of the women regarded English as a experience, Literature students were never asked to natural subject for them to study, they were not undertake imaginative writing such as the interior necessarily confident or comfortable with the social monologue of a minor character in a novel. Indeed, only situation, the subject matter, or the learning and Diana, a mature student at Hunsford, spoke directly of the assessment procedures. Student life was sometimes affective power of literature. ‘I had a bad accident and got described as private, individual and isolated. Caitlin (in divorced and various things were going on and poetry her third year of English at Longbourn) spoke eloquently was what saved me.’ With an access of emotion, she said: about the isolation she experienced as a student. Days ‘There’s always a poem that will just … speak to you.’ She would spread out in which she had nothing to do but insisted that the motive for her study was emotional rather write an essay, with no ready opportunity to communicate than vocational, and said that all the hard work had not with others. ‘English is not a sociable subject,’ said put her off reading. ‘It’s opened up lots of other avenues. Antonia in Pemberley. ‘You are there in your little bubble Lots of areas of interest.’ on your own, reading on your own.’ The students in Longbourn regretted the loss of a common room for From A Level to university English students which had been a good place to meet Several students also expressed an uncertainty about the people and share interests. Even the mature student method of study expected. Justine, at the end of her first Elaine (Hunsford), who took a highly independent and year in Pemberley, was unclear as to whether ‘we are determined approach to her study, regretted the lack of supposed to take the kind of skills we learned at A Level any group activities such as field visits or theatre trips. A and apply them on a weekly basis’. Much of the reading sense of being ‘outside’, not knowing how to engage the students did was directed towards a forthcoming essay with, the university and the curriculum was expressed in assignment, which would almost invariably count towards various ways. Some of the Netherfield students, for their overall course grade. Even at the end of her second example, were surprised to hear that it was possible to year, however, Jenny (Lambton) felt that she didn’t know change one’s tutor. what was expected of an essay. A tutor had told her that This sense of alienation from the social life of the a university essay should be different from A Level writing university - the imagined collaborative study of scientists, about literature: ‘You don’t need to know it in as much medics and engineers was often mentioned – extended to depth, you don’t need to learn loads of quotes.’ However, the subject matter of English Literature. The subject ‘knowing’ the text remained crucial to Jenny’s sense of English, according to Knights (2008: 5), ‘has treasured competence: ‘I just thought, if I didn’t [know the book in affect, interiority and the ‘soft’ discourses of interpersonal depth], I wouldn’t pass the exam.’ relations.’ Many of the students, however, said that they did not find the transition from school to university Polly felt that the subject matter was not English a move into a familiar language or territory. Martine, in Netherfield, said that the problem of transition feminine in the sense that ‘we don’t really was not the amount of reading required, but ‘trying to talk about emotions in the books we read’, understand what they are looking for and even what you and said that, in her experience, literature should be reading’. Isabel (Pemberley) would have liked to have had ‘just a general idea of what you are working students were never asked to undertake towards’. Alison, in Netherfield, appealed for ‘a summary imaginative writing such as the interior lecture at the beginning, so you know what direction you’re meant to be heading and where you’re aiming for, monologue of a minor character in a novel. as opposed to floating along and hoping you’ll have an Indeed, only Diana, a mature student, spoke epiphany or something’. directly of the affective power of literature. While some students were excited by literary theory -

June 2012 41 Despite the preponderance of women year, said Alan, there had been ‘a lot of awkward silences and we wouldn’t feel comfortable really getting into a students on university English courses, the heated discussion or debate’. He felt that the ‘vibe’ of majority of women tutors in several seminars was different at university: ‘There is no pat on the back, like saying you’ve done well.’ At university, departments, and the traditional unlike school, he claimed, one gains praise only for essay association of English Studies with affect, writing: ‘Since it is all essay based, that’s the only way we interior states and issues of human are assessed.’ Nonetheless, he insisted that ‘the system is fine, as long as the student isn’t reticent. They have to get relations, it could be construed that these their voice heard. Otherwise you get nothing.’

students’ experience of the social, learning The gender of English? and assessment practices of undergraduate It is difficult to generalise about the student experience of English lacked something of the university English from a small focus group study. It may be that the students who chose to take part in the groups feminine were unusually vocal or concerned about their experience. Nevertheless, many of these themes were This problem was exacerbated by the small amount of articulated again by the students who participated in my writing required in most courses and by the fact that most follow-up study of joint honours students (Hodgson 2011), of this writing was formally assessed, so there was little and the following conclusion seems justified by the opportunity to practise. Essay writing, according to Caitlin evidence of these focus groups. Despite the of Longbourn, was ‘the only thing that really counts’, and preponderance of women students on university English each essay was worth a significant proportion of the courses, the majority of women tutors in several marks of the course. Caitlin and Jessica felt it was departments, and the traditional association of English wrong that all or most of the assessment was based on Studies with affect, interior states and issues of human essays that had to be written in this isolated manner. They relations, it could be construed that these students’ compared the assessment weightings of English to other experience of the social, learning and assessment practices courses taken by their friends where a greater number of of undergraduate English lacked something of the tasks were undertaken and each task counted for only a feminine. Diana in Hunsford was unusual in speaking small amount of the assessment. Jessica compared the directly of her response to poetry. To many of these assessment system at Longbourn unfavourably with the students, male as well as female, university English meant experience of a friend at another pre-92 university who a difficult journey of mastering theory, managing their (she said) wrote an essay every two weeks which was reading, and writing essays for high-stakes assessment read and returned by her tutor, so that a dialogue within an environment that was felt to lack nurture. developed. Tessa (Pemberley) asked for weekly assignments ‘which would help us to focus what we References: should be looking at in the text’. This, she suggested, would create ‘a kind of system in the mind for getting an Gawthrope, J. & Martin, P. (2003) Survey of the English Curriculum and Teaching in UK Higher Education. English Subject essay done’. Françoise countered that the high stakes Centre Report 8. London: Higher Education Academy regime made them go into depth and research their essays Hodgson, J. (2010) The Experience of Studying English in UK thoroughly in a way they might not otherwise do. But the Higher Education. English Subject Centre Report 22. London: students recounted several tales of students who had Higher Education Academy. suffered from anxiety and depression brought on, they Hodgson, J. (2011) The Experience of Joint Honours Students of claimed, by the work regime – in some cases the students English in UK Higher Education. English Subject Centre Report concerned had left the course. 26. London: Higher Education Academy. Of course, the male students also commented on the Knights, C.B. (2008) Masculinities in Text and Teaching. In C.B. Knights (Ed.) Masculinities in Text and Teaching. London: Palgrave differences in culture between school and university. Macmillan Alan (Longbourn) said: ‘We have so few contact hours Smithers. R. (2003) Boys Shun A Level English. www.guardian. and lectures and I’ve found so many of my friends end up co.uk, Thursday 9 October 2003 (accessed 7 May 2012) missing them anyway.’ He said he felt guilty whenever he missed a class, although they did not always offer the opportunity for discussion that was needed. In the first

42 June 2012 ‘Knowledge About Language’ Revisited The Impact of Teachers’ Linguistic Subject Knowledge on the Teaching of Writing

In the second of two articles drawing on findings from a large-scale study carried out in secondary schools, Debra Myhill, Susan Jones, Helen Lines & Annabel Watson explore the classroom impact of teachers’ linguistic subject knowledge.

The recent Ofsted subject report, Moving English Forward, A correlation between the teacher’s linguistic subject highlights the impact of teachers’ linguistic knowledge on knowledge and student outcomes is predictable. Indeed, students’ learning. In outstanding practice: the relationship between the two is highlighted in the Debra Myhill, supplementary subject-specific guidance for inspectors of Susan Jones, Helen Lines & Teachers have a very good understanding of the English English (Ofsted, 2010). In outstanding teaching: Annabel Watson language, including differences between talk and are researchers in writing, and address these issues directly in lessons. The Teachers demonstrate high standards in their own use of the ‘Grammar for technical features of language are very well taught. language and they model the processes of reading and Writing’ project at (Ofsted, 2012, p.16) the University of writing powerfully to help pupils make real progress in Exeter. their own work. We would argue that grammar is about far more than the ‘technical features’ of language, but our own recent Andrews suggests that it is ‘likely to be the case that a research does confirm OFSTED’s emphasis on good teacher with a rich knowledge of grammatical understanding of language. In our ‘Grammar for Writing’ constructions and a more general awareness of the forms research, conducted in 31 secondary schools, we wanted and varieties of the language will be in a better position to to know if teaching contextualised grammar improved help young writers’ (Andrews 2005, 75). Of course, students’ writing. We found that it did – students in the linguistic subject knowledge involves more than the ability intervention group improved their writing scores (as to identify structures and use grammatical terminology. In measured in pre and post-test writing samples) by 20% the ‘Grammar for Writing’ study, we were interested in over the year compared with 11% in the comparison how teachers applied their technical knowledge. Myhill group. But we also found that teachers’ linguistic subject (2005) argues it is axiomatic that meaningful, focused and knowledge (LSK) was a significant factor in determining relevant attention to grammar in the context of teaching the success of the grammar intervention. Students in writing requires teachers who are confident both about classes with teachers with lower LSK made less what they are teaching and how to teach it. improvement than those with teachers with higher LSK. An effective pedagogy for writing includes knowing We measured LSK by giving teachers a ‘grammar test’ when to draw attention to a specific feature, being able to which scored their ability to identify word classes and explain a grammatical concept clearly, and demonstrating syntactical structures in an authentic text – an extract from how it might enhance the writing being undertaken. It Pride and Prejudice. Scores on this test were very evenly also requires an understanding of the bigger picture of spread, ranging from 35% to 92%, with a mean result of writing development and progress. In the context of the 60%. Teachers’ first degrees were quite varied, including 8 introduction of grammar into the curriculum in New who had a degree in subjects other than English. Only Zealand, Gordon (2005: 63) cites one consequence of one had a degree with a linguistics component: teachers’ weak LSK: ‘because of their own lack of unsurprisingly, this teacher scored 86%. Otherwise, there knowledge about language’ they focused on superficial was no discernible correlation between first degree and error in students’ writing and failed to acknowledge LSK. Given that older teachers may have been taught students’ ‘writing virtues’ – their developing syntactic grammar as part of their own education, we analysed the maturity. results to see if there was any relationship between years of teaching experience and linguistic knowledge, but Grammar insecurities there was no strong evidence of this: the four highest scores did include three teachers with more than 28 years In the teaching materials that formed the grammar of experience, but the second lowest score was from intervention, we tried to support teachers’ linguistic someone who had taught for 23 years.

June 2012 43 knowledge and pedagogical decision-making through resources and teaching notes. Nonetheless, the schemes a lot of the times because I don’t really understand my did require confident understanding of the grammatical own language. points that were taught. Our lesson observations show that teachers with weaker LSK struggled to cope with Although we did not find any meaningful correlation student questions on grammar and sometimes between teachers’ LSK test scores and length of service, communicated incorrect information to students. They we did find that the less experienced teachers in the study were also more likely to alter or omit the grammar point made more references to their lack of linguistic that formed the focus of the lesson. Over half the teachers confidence, and that this often centred on explicit use of in our study found that certain aspects of the schemes grammatical terminology: posed a challenge. For some, the lessons included unfamiliar terminology or concepts (determiner, noun It’s that fear, it’s that old style, nouns, verbs, phrase and modal verb were cited, along with the prepositions, complex sentences, compound, you know compound noun pattern of kennings). Others struggled all the terminology that’s really scary and that, I think, with teaching grammar effectively, finding it hard to most modern English teachers actually quite struggle explain concepts clearly, expand explanations, or handle with...it’s something that I think a lot of my generation students’ questions. As one teacher reflected: struggle with quite a lot.

I didn’t find it easy because I’m struggling to get my Concerns about the insufficiency of teachers’ linguistic head round understanding some of these things myself knowledge are not new; nor are they restricted to the UK. and I think sometimes it shows and I think sometimes Gordon (2005: 50) for instance, notes that teachers in New the kids know, and sometimes they throw out answers that I’m not quite sure about. Zealand recognized ‘their own, inadequate linguistic knowledge’, while in the US, Koln and Hancock (2005:106) report that ‘many teacher-training programs certify A much less predictable finding of our study was the secondary English teachers without the students having strength of feeling about teaching grammar in the context had a single course in modern grammar.’ We know from of writing. Teachers reported high levels of anxiety about research that most secondary English teachers do not have their linguistic subject knowledge. They recalled a sound grounding in grammar and that there are responses to the initial LSK test of feeling ‘alarmed’, historical reasons for this. In most Anglophone countries ‘intimidated’, ‘embarrassed’ and even ‘ashamed’. One in the 1950s and 1960s, there was a rejection of a role for said, ‘I feel completely lost when anybody mentions grammar in English teaching, as a consequence of which grammar to me’; another, ‘when people say grammar, I’m many teachers were not taught grammar themselves. In like I don’t really know grammar, I don’t really know 1995 the National Curriculum reintroduced grammar, as grammar.’ There were expressions of concern about did the Primary and Secondary National Strategies of the getting grammar wrong in the classroom: ‘I wouldn’t want last decade, backed by a programme of professional to teach them anything incorrect’; ‘I wouldn’t be able to training, both face-to-face and through printed resources. explain it or easily give an example that I would be However, a Qualifications and Curriculum Authority confident was right’ and for some, the pedagogical (QCA) survey of teachers in the period immediately problem was making grammar meaningful: ‘how do you following the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy move from identifying those features in the writing to indicated considerable lack of confidence in linguistic saying what they do in the writing?’ knowledge, particularly with sentence grammar, and Some teachers cited specific personal ‘grammar uncertainty about implicit and explicit knowledge. The insecurities’ that made them feel at a disadvantage report concluded that there was a ‘significant gap . . . in compared with colleagues. One was aware of her teachers’ knowledge and confidence in sentence grammar ‘seriously dodgy’ grasp of boundary punctuation, and and this has implications for . . . the teaching of language reported being pulled up by her head of department for and style in texts and pupils’ own writing’ (QCA 1998, 35). ‘comma splicing’. Hudson (2001) makes the point that grammar as a subject has ‘weak intellectual underpinnings’: it is one of the few subjects likely to be Influence on pedagogy taught purely on the basis of what teachers themselves Several teachers in our study commented that the learned at school, without any kind of ‘boost’ at ‘technical aspects’ of the intervention schemes were more university. This teacher clearly felt disadvantaged by the explicit and detailed, more ‘pinned down’ than they were lack of grammar in her own education: used to, and that this created a challenge. As one explained, ‘I’ve always shied away from the nitty-gritty of I wasn’t even taught what nouns, verbs and adjectives prepositions and adverbs because I’ve been under- are so I really struggle with...well the other day in the confident about them myself.’ Lack of confidence was English office when people were talking about reported by teachers as the reason for omitting or prepositions...I didn’t know what they were...it’s a sort changing a teaching point in the schemes, often in of constant embarrassment to me. I’m supposed to understand what it is I’m teaching and I feel inadequate anticipation that their Y8 class would struggle with the

44 June 2012 grammar. Thus one teacher avoided teaching main and • Improving vocabulary for precision and effect subordinate clauses, concerned about how the class • Developing varied linguistic and literary devices would react to the greater than usual technical emphasis. In the detailed teaching plans and resources that formed In effect, this limited understanding about sentence the intervention, these broad objectives were broken structure to the choice of longer or shorter sentences. down into grammar points that were designed to enhance Another teacher deliberately avoided word class a specific aspect of writing. For instance, in the narrative terminology which she felt would be off-putting for the fiction scheme, students were taught how to describe a weaker writers in her class; in a lesson that demonstrated setting precisely by choosing nouns and verbs carefully, ways of building detail in a simple sentence, only the term rather than ‘piling on’ adjectives and adverbs. In argument ‘word’ was used. This diluted the intended specificity writing, they noted the subtle alteration of emphasis about choices that students could make, for example, the created through choice of modal verb. In the poetry impact of moving an adverb to the front of the sentence, scheme, specific attention was paid to the effects of using or the precision created with a prepositional phrase. enjambement and caesura. Teachers in the comparison Watson (2012: 31) highlights ways in which the teachers group followed the same broad objectives, but were free in the Grammar for Writing research were both aware of, to devise their own lesson plans. This meant that they had and concerned about, the classroom impact of their greater latitude about the linguistic features that were insecurities about grammar. Lack of confidence often taught, and how explicitly they were introduced and manifested itself as negativity towards grammar, and practised. When we observed lessons, we noted the teachers worried that their own ‘block’ with grammar linguistic and literary terminology used by teachers and made their pupils see it as particularly difficult. Watson students and examples of classroom exchanges that stresses the importance of teachers’ feelings, since they illustrated both linguistic understanding and confusion. ‘have an impact on students by controlling both what When we interviewed teachers after the lesson, we asked grammar is taught and what attitude to grammar is them to explain their pedagogic decisions, including any evoked in the classroom.’ adaptations made to the teaching plans we had provided. None of this is about teacher bashing. The media, as we know from personal experience, is ready enough to Meaningless grammar assume that role. When a DfCSF-commissioned review of international studies on the effective teaching of complex Teachers with less confident linguistic subject knowledge writing was published (Myhill et al, 2008), a fairly minor were more likely to make generalised comments about reference to teachers’ subject knowledge became the language use. Advice to writers was vague, or redundant, focus of the news report: ‘Teachers struggle with in the sense that it was insufficiently elaborated or grammar’; ‘English teachers who went to school when explained to be meaningful for students. Sometimes this grammar was not on the curriculum struggle to teach it, meant that teachers referred to word classes almost as research shows’ (BBC Online, 2 May 2008). In terms of content items, things which should be included in effective teaching of writing, we know that there is much sentences if you want to improve your writing. One to celebrate. Moving English Forward draws attention to teacher advised her class that they could write a powerful the positive developments of the last decade, in particular description if they used ‘verbs, adverbs or nouns’, advice the impact of direct modelling of writing by teachers and so generalised that it ends up rather meaningless. Of the increased tendency of teachers to draw on their own course, there has often been a parallel tendency in literary writing when instructing pupils. In our project classrooms, language to encourage students to include similes and there was much evidence of lively discussion about metaphors in their writing, with no discussion or language and its effects, and a healthy regard for language explanation of why this might be advisable. Indeed, in play and experimentation. one lesson in our study, where the objective was ‘to write But the fact remains that many teachers lack confidence a poem using a range of literary devices’, features such as in their linguistic subject knowledge yet are teaching LSK repetition, alliteration, personification, simile and in the classroom. How does this affect the way that they metaphor were listed without any sense of how students teach writing? The qualitative data we collected, through might be selective or how the use of a particular feature lesson observations and interviews with teachers and might enhance their writing. This kind of guidance leads students, has provided some useful insights into this to students learning that certain grammatical, or literary, question. These are explored in the rest of this article. features have intrinsic merit, merely by their presence, rather than by developing an understanding of how different choices subtly shade and influence meanings. Grammar in the Schemes of Work

Learning objectives in the schemes of work were drawn ‘Variety’ from the Secondary National Strategy Framework for English. The following were common to all three A set of comments related to the idea of sentence variety, schemes: which was a teaching focus of the schemes of work, and • Varying sentences and punctuation for clarity which is a prominent term in published objectives and and effect assessment criteria. Teachers regularly advocated the use of variety, almost as a formula for success: ‘sentence

June 2012 45 variety is key’; ‘you need to be able to vary sentences to achieve higher levels’; ‘make sure you have sentence S: I just realised there aren’t that many short sentences variety’. Students used the phrase too, for example when either, I could put in more short sentences. referring to how they could improve their writing: ‘I need R: What would be the point of putting more short to vary my sentence variety – she’s said that a lot in the sentences in? marking she does.’ However, there was rarely any S: It’s kind of like for effect. explanation of what was meant by sentence variety in the context of a particular writing task. Nor was there R: What sort of effect? suggestion of why this variety was beneficial, the S: It’s like, um...I can’t explain what type of effect it is. implication being that variety, of whatever quality, was a good thing. Allied to this was the suggestion that writing R: Just have a little think and have a go, or tell me to get lost. would be improved by ‘adding more’, which was students’ chief strategy for improving writing: ‘I’d probably make it S: I don’t have a clue. longer if I had more time and put more modal verbs in’; ‘instead of just using one pattern of three, use lots of To an extent, these comments reflect both the different patterns of three and not just one sharp sentence, Framework objectives and the intervention teaching maybe like, a lot, a lot more than one.’ In such formulaic materials, which repeatedly encouraged discussion about approaches to grammar, the objective was presented as the effects of grammar features, but many teachers lacked achieving variety rather than using variety to create the applied linguistic knowledge which allowed them to meaning. move beyond the phrase ‘for effect’ to a more text or In contrast, one teacher with good linguistic subject context specific discussion. There was a suggestion that if knowledge gave a more precise and meaningful reason certain features were used, good writing would follow, for using varied sentence lengths which made a link rather than a focus on how features are used in a specific between the linguistic feature and how it might impact context and for a specific purpose. upon the writing. In the argument scheme of work, she In one lesson that worked very well, the teacher was discussing how students could use contrast in positioned students as real readers of authentic texts. With sentence length in different ways: ‘in a long sentence you students in small discussion groups, she provided can detail the cruelty and a short sentence you can refer to examples of campaign leaflets, a strict time limit for sudden death for impact’. In the fiction scheme of work, reading them (equating to the amount of time an average another teacher provided a clear reason for altering the householder might spend looking at such a text), and a standard Subject-Verb order of a sentence, for example by blank sheet of paper for students to record examples of starting with an adverb: ‘Look what’s happened by features that persuaded them to support the cause. changing the word order. As a writer you can withhold Student groups then agreed a hierarchy of features and information and build a sense of expectation.’ discussed these as a whole class. The teacher’s role was to summarise and clarify contributions, which included ‘For effect’ helpful labelling of features, and to extend students’ understanding of audience and purpose, for example: ‘So Another aspect of redundant grammar was the tendency why should we use emotive language in an argument? to promote the use of a particular linguistic feature ‘for Most charity leaflets work through empathy…so it’s very effect’, but without any meaningful suggestion of what important to use emotive language…remember it can that effect might be. The term was often offered in evoke different emotions, like anger or sorrow.’ In a lesson generalised advice given just before, or during, individual on dual narrative, the same teacher was similarly direct writing tasks, but was rarely linked to, or triggered by, and specific in stressing for students the purpose of using specific examples. Thus teachers spoke of the need to the technique, explaining: ‘think about where you put your punctuation for effect’ and to ‘use sentences for effect’. Students were advised to In terms of your writing, it’s not just a case of keep ‘vary vocabulary for effect’ and to ‘remember that some changing. You need to be thinking about why these words are more effective than others and you need to find changes are taking place. What effects does it create? the right ones…just think about what effect it has as well.’ Why has Peter Benchley made these switches? So you The notion of effectiveness was also used for feedback, as know when to change for effect, not just because in the plenary instruction to pick out examples of a ‘short you’ve seen a published writer do it. sentence used for effect’ or in a starter activity where students were asked to choose and share ‘an interesting The phrase ‘for effect’ was made meaningful by being and effective sentence’ from their fiction books. Not all linked directly to the dual narrative from Jaws that students understood the terms, which led to some students had analysed in a previous lesson. interestingly imprecise suggestions about how they might improve their writing, for instance this exchange between researcher and student, reflecting on his narrative writing: The use of linguistic terminology

The lesson objectives and teaching plans provided for the

46 June 2012 Intervention teachers often meant they needed to be semantic definitions rather than form or function based specific and explicit about points of grammar, including definitions, and they probably arise from a desire to the use of appropriate metalanguage. A number of provide a helpful shortcut to understanding – explanations teachers in our study reported a lack of confidence in of grammar terms in grammar books can be frustratingly handling linguistic terminology. Interestingly, several complex! However, this does create all kinds of made a direct comparison with the use of literary terms, misunderstandings and confusions, particularly when though for different reasons. One teacher said she felt students look at language examples and use the semantic ‘more secure’ talking about enjambement and caesura definitions logically. For instance, the ‘doing’ word (referred to in the Poetry scheme) than ‘the difference definition of a verb repeatedly catches out young learners, between a complex and a compound and all the rest of it.’ and many adults. Firstly, there is a problem because so This is quite surprising, given that all the terms relate to many verbs have no obvious meaning related to doing clause grammar, but there may be a perception that some anything (e.g. be; think; might). Secondly, very often the grammatical concepts are harder than others to explain or ‘doing’ in a sentence seems to a logical user of this exemplify, subordination being one of them. There was definition to be located in a word which is not the verb. also a suggestion that literary terms, such as alliteration So for example, in the sentence, I’ve never liked shopping, and personification, have an intrinsic interest for students using this logic, many students will select the noun in a way that grammatical terms do not: as one teacher ‘shopping’ as the doing word. commented about students’ forgetfulness: ‘nouns, verbs, adjectives - they just don’t stick, those terms.’ Some Syntactical confusion teachers reacted very strongly against grammatical terminology: it was equated with the tedium of exercises The results of the LSK test indicate that it is syntax in and drills from their own schooling, with rules and particular which teachers are least confident about, ‘getting it right or wrong’, or ran counter to their real particularly clauses. In the interviews, many teachers interests: articulated a specific anxiety about clauses, for example:

‘because I’m more literature than language, for me the Generally with grammar I’m quite confident, um the mechanics of language and how it’s shaped is irrelevant nitty gritty parts I’m not so confident with, so things like and it’s more about how it makes me feel and the effect embedding a clause in a complex sentence it takes me a of it at the end of it, and I don’t really care how they’ve while to work out how to do it, so to teach it, my got there.’ confidence in that is less so

It was possible for Intervention teachers to avoid using Because of the learning focus of the schemes of work, grammatical terminology – and attendant explanations - if it is not surprising that many of the observed examples of they chose to: for example, by omitting references to pedagogical problems were to do with understanding abstract nouns detailed in the lesson plan or by not different sentence types. Teachers found ‘clause’ difficult explaining ‘adverbials’ where displayed on a Power Point to explain and either ducked the question, ‘Miss, what’s a slide. Conversely, a teacher in the Comparison group, free clause?’ or gave answers they knew were unsatisfactory: to decide her own learning focus and lesson activities, ‘part of a sentence’; ‘the bits between the punctuation’. In made very specific grammatical references, using a raft of one classroom, the teacher introduced the semi-colon terminology, backed by quick examples from her own without explaining that it joins two clauses, so that writing and from students’ homework. All the following students used it in a random way to join a clause and a terms were used within the first ten minutes of the lesson: phrase. Wary of clause grammar, teachers often chose to complex sentence, compound sentence, simple sentence, focus on sentence variety in terms of sentence length, as subordinators, present tense, first person, comma, this is easier to handle, and requires no grammatical semi-colon, adverb, adjective, noun; passive verbs explanations. The lack of explicit understanding of how (glossed as ‘ones that slow the action’), figurative simple and complex sentences are formed was evident language, similes, metaphors, omniscient narrator. The from the comments of both students and teachers. One class was run like a writers’ workshop, with clearly voiced student explained: ‘‘There was a cat’ is a simple sentence; expectations that grammatical knowledge was necessary a complex sentence is like, ‘There was a slim, something to improve students’ writing, and reassurance that key something ginger cat.’” concepts would be revisited throughout the year: ‘I think The concept of grammatical simplicity was confused you’re struggling a little bit with complex sentences, but with semantic simplicity. In one classroom exchange, this don’t worry, we’ll come back to it.’ misconception was corrected by a student:

Semantic definitions for word classes Teacher: What’s a simple sentence? Student 1: When there’s no interesting words in it? For many decades, English teachers have developed their own ways of explaining basic grammatical terms to Student 2: When there’s a subject and a verb. children such as defining a verb as a ‘doing’ word or an adjective as a ‘describing’ word. These explanations use

June 2012 47 But in a number of classrooms, the equation of ‘simple’ forthcoming revision, then addressing the professional with ‘short’ (or ‘boring’) and ‘complex’ with ‘longer’ or development of teachers is critical. It is important that ‘more complicated’ was commonplace and inevitably this is not constructed as a deficit model – it is not helpful confusing. For example, in a lesson where the teaching to think of this as filling gaps in teachers’ knowledge. We focus was on knowing how to deliberately vary the length have a highly qualified and intellectually capable cadre of of a simple sentence, by adding detail through expanded English and literacy teachers; English PGCE courses attract noun phrases or adverbials, the teacher referred to more graduates with upper second degrees or higher than successively longer examples of a simple (i.e. one clause) almost any other course. The linguistic subject knowledge sentence as ‘very simple’, ‘more complex’ and ‘much issue is not a deficit in teachers’ academic background but longer and more complex’. Semantic definitions of simple is a reflection of the way English has developed and complex sentences included terms such as ‘a normal historically. Until the 1980s, there was only one English- sentence’ and ‘a more than average sentence.’ Definitions related A level – English Literature; and degree routes of ‘main clause’ as ‘the main information’ and ‘sub clause’ through university have historically separated Literature as something that ‘gives secondary or additional and Linguistics, often in different faculties, and the information’ gave rise to generalised and somewhat dominant degree route into PGCE remains English misleading explanations of clause grammar, especially Literature or related degrees. If teachers would now when the same teacher had described the function of benefit from deeper linguistic subject knowledge, then adverbs being to ‘make sentences more interesting’ by this should be seen as an addition to, and an giving the reader ‘more info’. enhancement of, their existing strengths as literature In contrast, some teachers demonstrated more confident experts and highly confident teachers of texts. management of discussion of syntactical features which Secondly, subject knowledge is far more than naming linked them very explicitly to the way they were working of parts; it is about being able to look at a text and see in the specific piece of writing under focus: ‘Look at this how it is constructed; about being able to answer and the way it’s been changed. Sometimes you can change children’s questions; about being able to generate an the structure of a sentence to make it more interesting.’ In interest in language. Developing linguistic subject the narrative fiction scheme of work, one teacher knowledge will best be achieved through supporting responded to a student’s draft with the feedback, ‘I like teachers in using that knowledge in meaningful contexts the way you’ve kept some short sentences in to build the and exploiting the many rich and creative possibilities tension’ , and another drew attention to the way there are in adding a linguistic lens to literary analysis. adverbials can create a sense of place and setting: ‘We’ve got a real sense of the environment with adverbials in References: there’. Where teachers were confident in their subject knowledge, explanations of grammar were succinct and Andrews, R. (2005) Knowledge about the teaching of sentence grammar: The state of play. English Teaching: Practice and clear, and almost always backed by examples and Critique 4, no. 3: 69–76. reminders of prior learning. One teacher, for instance, Gordon, E. (2005) Grammar in New Zealand schools: Two case made a helpful distinction between a subordinating studies. English Teaching: Practice and Critique 4, no. 3: 48–68. connective which ‘may go at the beginning of a sentence Hudson, D. (2001) Grammar teaching and writing skills: the or within a sentence to join a subordinate clause to a research evidence. Syntax in the Schools Vol. 17 1-6 main clause’ and a co-ordinating connective which ‘must Myhill, D. (2005) Ways of knowing: Writing with Grammar in go in the middle of a sentence to join the two main Mind. English Teaching: Practice and Critique 4, no. 3: 77-96. clauses.’ Students readily contributed examples of each Myhill , D., Fisher, R., Jones, S., Lines, H., Hicks, A. (2008) type of connective. Effective ways of teaching complex expression in writing, Department for Children, Schools and Families Research Report DCSF-RR032, University of Exeter Conclusion QCA (1998) The grammar papers: Perspectives on the teaching of grammar in the National Curriculum. London, Qualifications We feel there are two key conclusions to be drawn from and Curriculum Authority our research. Firstly, if grammar is to be a part of the Watson, A. (2012) Navigating ‘the pit of doom’: Affective National Curriculum, and all the indications are that responses to teaching ‘grammar’. English in Education Vol.46 no. grammar will have a renewed emphasis in the 1: 22-37

48 June 2012 Thank NATE it’s Friday! NATE Sheffield Workshops Autumn 2012 After the successful launch of Friday workshops in the Spring, we are happy to present more opportunities for teachers to discover a range of valuable strategies. These workshops will be of particular interest to those who want to enhance their store of ideas and approaches in a particular area, or to newly qualified teachers of English. The workshops will take place at NATE’s administrative centre in Sheffield, with places limited to a maximum of 12 for each session. All courses will take place at NATE office, 50 Broadfield Road, Sheffield S8 OXJ. The timetable for each workshop will vary but the day will begin at 10:00 and end at 15:30, with coffee/tea and a sandwich lunch provided. BOOK NOW to reserve a place – email [email protected] (include information as per the form below) or photocopy and post the form, or telephone 0114 2555419.

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50 June 2012 Subject Matter Reflections on Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

The English Subject Centre 2003 – 11 Ben Knights reflects on the work of the English Subject Centre, a recent victim of the cuts in Higher Education.

context, the Subject Centres represented a major investment in discipline- Ben Knights is Emeritus Professor of English at based enhancement. Lecturers had proved (and continue to prove) adept Teesside University, and was Director of the at circumventing attempts to oblige them to take training courses. In these English Subject Centre. circumstances, the underlying principle of the subject centres was that enhancement could best be brought about by enlisting academics through their enthusiasm for their own disciplines.

English had its own relationship to this pedagogic turn. A loose federation of centrifugal academic tribes, English is peculiar in that while it is a national curriculum core subject, its practice in universities has little in common with its incarnation in secondary education. Methodologically With the enforced closure of the national ‘Subject Centre’ network in July divergent, it has a rich and fissiparous intellectual heritage, much of which 2011, educationists said goodbye to an innovative and brave experiment. was already deeply rooted in pedagogies of which the discipline has been But why should a venture focused on higher education matter to the justifiably proud. It also possesses a proliferation of ‘stakeholders’: writers readers of English Drama Media? What could attempts to address the and readers, parents, grammar and spelling buffs, journalists, royals and shortcomings of university pedagogy possibly have to do with schools? This politicians, towards all of whom the university subject family exhibits a article seeks to give a brief answer. profound ambivalence, and from whom it frequently goes to great lengths to protect and even conceal its subject matter. As we tried at the Subject A good place to start would be EDM Issue 21. The articles by Barbara Centre to get the measure of the subject in its relation to its students, two Bleiman, Gary Snapper, Andrew Green and John Hodgson connect directly connected features in particular seemed to stand out. The dynamic to work carried on by (and the two latter grow directly out of projects relationship between them has done much to shape the subject in recent funded and supported by) the English Subject Centre. In one way or times. another, all exploit the fertile possibilities arising from cross-sector dialogue, and seek to rebuild connections severed between school and university ‘English’ since the early 1990s. Readers might be interested for multiple Research v. teaching in English intertwined reasons: the implications for potential university students of transactions across the gulf; the intellectual significance of the constant The first was the very success of the discipline in adapting to a culture of re-shaping of the subject; the fact that universities play a crucial role in the specialised research. Both internal and external influences converged to formation of the next generation of teachers. And if that wasn’t enough, bring this about. During the 1970s and 80s, the Theory revolt had – para- we might also cast a weather eye on the current Education Secretary’s doxically for a radical and subversive movement – prepared the way for the atavistic desire to give universities (he’s thinking of the self-nominated elite subject to move towards specialised and counter-intuitive forms of of the ‘Russell Group’, of course) a greater role in the design and manage- knowledge, a tendency subsequently accentuated by the osmosis of literary ment of A-level. and new historical studies. Add to this the rise of the Research Assessment Exercise and growing prestige attached to research funding, and you have a recipe for a fundamental re-casting of the reward structures and career The pedagogic turn in HE patterns of the subject. The mutation of the forms of ambition and success within the profession had implications for teaching at a number of levels. The subject centres, like the National Teaching Fellowship and other related At one level, many of those who had made an honourable career of initiatives grew out of that period around the turn of the century, when a teaching found themselves increasingly left out of the new economy of number of factors were widely perceived as having caused a deterioration prestige and reward. In aspiring institutions, the route towards success in HE teaching and the experience of university students. These factors clearly lay through publications, conferences, funded research projects and included a major decline in the resource per student as a result of the fellowships, and this tended to imply that teaching was a secondary massive unfunded expansion of the universities since the early 90s, and the activity. Conversations and mentoring sessions became dominated by consequent increase in average class sizes; but also a sense, focused by the arcane discussions of research strategy, which of your publications would Dearing Report of 1997, that the funding of research was creating a count for the RAE, or the best techniques for grant application. Very often distortion: that money, rewards, and prestige were being increasingly of course, colleagues successfully brought together their research and their attracted to research to the detriment of the teaching and pastoral roles. In teaching. But this, too, had unintended pedagogic and curriculum effects. a successful attempt to ward off an HE version of Ofsted, universities had The ever-increasing specialisation of research within a modular regime in the meanwhile adopted systems of Teaching Quality Assessment (soon reinforced a sense among students that knowledge was segmented and to become the QAA system of subject and institutional review). In this specialised, a succession of intense special topics. In that setting, writing

June 2012 51 and assessment became resource and knowledge-heavy (cut and paste at intellectual hybridisation and refreshment. Pedagogy and the systematic the worst), and class discussion a forum for the exchange of specialised study of learning need not be the one example of an intellectual domain information. from which English was too superior to learn. It was implicit in the subject centre experiment that we were not to be ‘top down’ suppliers of new This is where the other suggested feature comes in. This one goes back ideas and practices, but agents, brokers, interpreters. We wanted to find further into the subject’s founding antagonism to what it saw as naive or out the kind of things that were happening and to make connections. But escapist reading. In the early days of the Subject Centre, we frequently if we were to help re-animate the pedagogy of the subject group, we had found English (especially literature) colleagues suspicious and resentful to build up a map of inventions and their contexts. Where were new about what they saw as prescriptive interference. Despite the new world pedagogic energies to come from? To take a handful of examples, we of benchmarks, learning objectives, module handbooks, and marking found ourselves seeking out and helping to circulate energies and insights criteria, teaching was still thought of as a unique encounter between from: group (or individual reader) and text. Isolated from the new, regulated world of schools, the university tribe continued to entertain a belief in the • Inventive individuals (the challenge being that they were often unique and unreproducible nature of the transaction between teacher, isolated: we needed to provide them with support systems and student, and text, and hence in a kind of dematerialised pedagogy. The networks); further one travelled up the university status hierarchy the more striking • E-learning and the digital revolution: extending the eco-system of the this became. Seminar teaching took place in what lecturers tended to see, module and seminar into virtual environments; bringing within student paradoxically, as a private space. This remained possible in the universities view the wealth of digital resources; (at least in the Humanities) in a way that it could not in schools. Education • Crossover: bringing the skills and craft approaches of Language and developers, deans for teaching and learning, advocates of virtual learning Creative Writing into a larger mix, e.g. by making more available the environments, anyone who recommended transparent specifications, workshop tradition; techniques, overt attention to tools, processes, or aims, could be identified • Habits and practices from different sites within and beyond the sector. as outside agents infiltrating a quasi-sacred space. Throughout, the challenge was to legitimise and connect up experi- By contrast, what the Subject Centre wanted to say was that the ments that were in any case growing from underground roots, but often discourse of the seminar or lecture was as worthy of attention as the starved of light and air. Thanks to an enormous number of advocates, discourse of the text itself. For while a hidden pedagogy may be to some friends, and helpers we went some of the way to open up new channels. degree protected from outside interference, it is simultaneously cut off The English Subject Centre was at least a qualified success. Given more from external sources of renewal. There was in short a downside to this time we might have been able to do more to develop a culture where propensity to surround university teaching with invisible ‘trespassers will academics talked to each other about teaching; and might have implanted be prosecuted’ signs. A principled critique of routinisation and of the more widely the need to understand the expectations of our students and target and procedures culture protected a set of taken-for-granted the barriers the subject in many ways presents. We needed more time to practices. While English Language and Creative Writing were fast develop strategies for seriously tackling the narrow range of class, gender, developing as skills and craft-based subjects, English Literature was failing and ethnic recruitment so characteristic of the subject in HE, and widening to apply its own reflexive suspiciousness to its own pedagogy. its appeal beyond the minority of students whose ambition was to The dynamic generated between specialised research and invisible become future teachers and academics. All these would have required a pedagogy created countless mysteries for students. Some continued to serious redress of the skewing of the subject towards specialised research, find infectious the challenge of getting on the inside of these discourses. and the ability for the subject group to become better at explaining itself But many superimposed their university experience on their previous to multiple publics. experience of the school assessment regime and made a cognitive Like the readers of English Drama Media, we attempted to foster a extrapolation. They came out with the working idea that they were meant subject dedicated to critique, to the making and understanding of to acquire and offer back in assessment a form of knowledge which language, representation, form, narrative, the unblocking of the treated text as information, hypothesis as fact, hypothetical suggestion as well-springs of creativity. We wanted to impress on academics that the currency of truth - or at least the truths desired by those with the professionalised research was not going to be enough to maintain the power to award marks. The ambitions of English academics and a sizable subject in being and secure its future success or its appeal to new proportion of their real and potential students had got out of alignment. generations of students. The subject group needs now more than ever to The complacent assumption that ‘we are all good at teaching’ inevitably pay continued and systematic attention to the care of its teaching roots. marginalised those who argued the need for change. The public spending cuts, and the grave uncertainties of the new university funding era from 2012 onwards coincide with the imperative of paying re-doubled attention to teaching. The future of the subject Re-animating pedagogy depends on an ability to enter into dialogue with publics and students. In In many ways, then, the Subject Centre found itself on the margins, but in fostering that dialogue the Subject Centre played an honourable part. a subject in some ways composed more of margins than of centre that A version of this article was published in the final issue of the English was not necessarily a disadvantage. The subject has characteristically been Subject Centre’s magazine WordPlay in June 2011 http://issuu.com/ re-animated from its own borders, and its contiguities with history, film, englishsubjectcentre/docs/wordplay5/1 drama, anthropology, or linguistics have been a perpetual source of

52 June 2012 Elocution Phonically challenged

Keith Davidson reflects on the differences between speech and writing.

But there is a more fundamental difference. Writing is segmented, Keith Davidson represents NATE on the joint alphabetic letters in our system. Speech is not; phonemes are ‘alphabetic’ Committee for Linguistics in Education – but abstractions, identifying contrastive syllabic features of voicing, place and these are his own views. manner of articulation, which in reality overlap in the stream of speech. Phonics treats them as discrete units, letter sounds and is predicated on ‘citation forms’ of pronunciation, words pronounced in isolation as marked in dictionaries - with that further step, the component letters pronounced in isolation - as the key to initial literacy. Speech isn’t like that, and it’s a further problem that the citation forms are typically selected pronunciations of a minority accent, ‘RP’, itself something of an idealisation: Literacy has a lot to answer for: In England and Wales, RP is widely regarded as a model for correct pronunciation, particularly for educated formal speech. It is what Pupils at an Essex primary school are receiving elocution lessons - to was traditionally used by BBC newsreaders - hence the alternative help improve their spelling. Staff at Cherry Tree Primary School in name BBC pronunciation, although now… less appropriate. Basildon said some children were writing words according to how they pronounced them. They say the lessons are not about helping RP itself inevitably changes as the years pass. There is also a them to lose their accents. measure of diversity within it. Furthermore, the democratization undergone by English society during the second half of the Literacy co-ordinator Terri Chudleigh said: ‘if you are saying ‘we twentieth century means that it is nowadays necessary to define RP was’ instead of we were’ that’s what you’re going to write.’… in a rather broader way than was once customary. LPD [Longman She said: ‘I thought we needed to introduce something that would Pronunciation Dictionary] includes a number of pronunciations that give them a more accurate sounding of the word in their head so diverge from traditional ‘classical’ RP. they could spell it correctly… their spelling is now much more British Received Pronunciation (RP) is not localized (= not associated accurate, their grammar much more accurate … with any particular city or region). It is to be heard in all parts of the Francesca Gordon-Smith [private elocution teacher], who runs country from those with the appropriate social or educated sessions with pupils, said: ‘The idea is that when they’re writing background [!]. On the other hand, most people do have some their ‘elocution voice’ in their heads to avoid mistakes like an ‘f’ at degree of local colouring in their speech. the beginning of thought.’ (Wells, 2000) (BBC News, 1 February 2012) So, a model for letter sounds, that is itself subject to variation and in any The references to grammar are of course irrelevant. But note the tell-tale case unlike how these Essex children actually speak, supposed to ‘give qualifier ‘accurate’, the euphemism for ‘correct’ that begs all the ques- them a more accurate sounding of the word in their head so they could tions. ‘We was’ is a structured utterance, and so ‘grammatical’. The only spell it correctly’. This assumes that, apart from spelling pronunciations, question is: whose grammar? But spelling and pronunciation have nothing the writing system represents the model any more consistently than Essex to do with that. speak: ‘Write-ly’ or wrongly, is at least as good a correspondence for the initial voiceless fricative in thought as the standard (a ‘digraph’ The issue here is linguistic primacy. Speech was and is primary, a biologi- for the single phoneme); it’s ‘phonic’. cal imperative, developing, with the evolution of the vocal tract, in ‘homo loquens’ from perhaps 100,000 BC. Writing is secondary, a late cultural That’s the perceived problem: ‘some children were writing words artefact dating from some 5500 years or so ago, depending on how you according to how they pronounced them’ - i.e. ‘phonics’! Changing the interpret the archaeological evidence (Crystal 2010: 206. 305). The child model is merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. And, while develops speech similarly, by induction long before the culture’s formal this is not supposed to be ‘about helping them to lose their accents’ - the instruction in the writing system. In principle, then, writing follows speech, aim being an ‘elocution voice in their heads to avoid mistakes’ - the if also deploying its own distinctive systems. Yet the development of implication is a model of ‘correct’ pronunciation. general literacy can all too often invert this natural process: speech But it seems to work - how can that be? Can I attribute it to some sort adapted to how things are ordered in writing - as in such ‘spelling of incidental effect of the children’s heightened attention to the sounds of pronunciations’ as the nineteenth century re-introduction of the aspiration their own speech and the correspondences in the writing system? And, if /h/ for initial . that’s giving them more confidence in using the language in both speech In a standardised writing system spelling is relatively stable; speech is and writing, how should I then presume to complain that the approach is not, varying in time, place, social context and style. So, even in a more fundamentally flawed? phonically consistent writing system than ours, there is inevitable mismatch between speech and writing. German spelling, widely considered to be References ‘phonetic’ (Masha Bell et al), was only standardised nationally in the nineteenth century, following the establishment of the German state, and Crystal, D.. (2010) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language (3rd edition) has been subject to recently agreed, if minimal, ‘corrections’ which still Cambridge University Press leave some letter-sound anomalies in place, and it’s predicated on a Wells, J.C. (2000) Longman Pronunciation Dictionary Harlow: Pearson standardised ‘Hoch Deutsch’, not popularly spoken in the south, let alone Education in Austria and Switzerland.

June 2012 53 Media Studies English in the News

Tom Rank surveys media coverage of English.

Found out Guardian editor went to an independent school. So did some Tom Rank is an independent consultant of his troublesome writers – so let’s get column inches by denouncing them specialising in ICT in English, an A Level examiner in front of a lot of independent school headteachers – in Brighton College! and currently Chair of NATE’s ICT Committee. Partial backfire: facetious Stephen Moss in the Guardian a couple of days later was trying to make capital of my kindness: ‘For those of us who believe in social justice,’ he [that’s me!] thundered, ‘this stratification and segregation are morally indefensible.’ ‘Hear, hear. But was it really wise for him, on the same day as the speech, to pitch up at Taunton School (fees £8,535 a term for boarders) to open a £2.3m extension?’ Look, what am I supposed to do? Get adviser to send him a message: ‘Independent schools Mr Gove’s Diary will continue to exist, won’t they? If he’s invited to open something, he’ll usually try to say yes.’ (Especially if it’s my mouth to announce a new Our correspondent writes: Mr Gove’s diary seems of late to have wheeze!) adopted a more ruminative tone, as though already with an eye on posterity. It’s as if he sees himself as a Headmaster or one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools in the grand Victorian tradition of Thomas and Matthew Arnold, with his references to ‘the thrill of engaging with David Cameron praises literature and great minds of the past and the present’. Extracts read like a cross between the Headmaster’s log book and a piece in his beloved (and children who rise when beloved wife’s) Times newspaper. We begin with a headline-grabbing adults enter the room sound-bite followed by some erudition:

Of course, David is right that there’s a lot we could learn from public schools, though I wish he wouldn’t trespass on my territory. To make things Evgeny Lebedev brings Wilde worse, the Telegraph illustrated this with an unflattering picture of me and Milton to Leveson pulling a face while squatting on a tiny chair outside the Wendy house. I tell you, I’d rather have been standing up and the kiddies sitting properly inquiry on chairs – the little blighters move about too much.

If we’re serious about dealing with our broken society and the poor showing of our schools, we need to recapture the spirit of the 60s! No, I BAN mobiles from schools don’t mean flower power and drug-inducted babbling – that’s the cause of our problems. (I know, I was born in the 60s.) I mean the 1860s! Listen – Ofsted to Matthew Arnold: ‘The whole scope of [this book] is to recommend culture as the great help out of our present difficulties; culture being a pursuit of our total perfection by means of getting to know, on all the Good to see Wilshaw getting tough on the distractions of technology matters which most concern us, the best which has been thought and said and hitting the headlines – he’s learning from me. But then some teacher in the world, and, through this knowledge, turning a stream of fresh and trainer called Miles Berry says on Twitter (what’s he doing there?): ‘Ofsted free thought upon our stock notions and habits, which we now follow criteria for outstanding leadership and management in ICT: “the school is staunchly but mechanically.’ Culture and Anarchy – well, I know which side likely to have promoted the use of mobile technologies.”’ (Of course I’m on. Let’s hear it for the 69ers – the 1869ers! Twitter’s great for us – I’ve told civil servants to keep all their reports to 140 If you want to know what I mean, consider today’s Guardian. It reports characters.) the ‘obscure tomes by a couple of dead writers’ clutched by Evgeny A pity Dave wasn’t banned before he sent those texts to Rebekah Brooks Lebedev at the Leveson inquiry. Great Scott, they were John Milton and – he didn’t even know what LOL means! Have emailed him Sam Cam’s Oscar Wilde – what’s the broadsheet press coming to! It takes a Russian to Diary (don’t know how the Guardian gets hold of it), which is very helpful show us up – at least he’s not a Trot (can’t be: he’s a billionaire’s son). Why – and mentions us again: ‘So I went to Dave, of course we cannot be don’t our English newspaper proprietors have such high standards? Note: friends with people who are always around police stations but how about check what school the Guardian editor went to; put Areopagitica on A their friends, e.g., if the Goveys are friends with Rupert who is friends with Level reading list, have a selection of tomes to clutch in photos. Might start RB can we still have the Goveys over and friends of the Goveys.’ No one’s with Paradise Lost – such an evocative title: it was Labour what lost it! that friendly with Rupert any more now. It’s a good job the Times is behind a paywall; it makes it harder for anyone to find the piece I wrote about Murdoch in 1999. ‘The greatest godfather of mischief in print’ wasn’t, with Public school domination hindsight, my best turn of phrase. But not the same as sneery socialist MP ‘morally indefensible’ Watson calling them a Mafia family – outrageous!

54 June 2012 Bit disappointed to see that Wilshaw, for all his tough talk, got tied in knots over literacy standards and averages on the radio. And then he tells the Telegraph that inspections may be damaging lessons: ‘We have created Hiya pupils, please avoid the idea that we have to do a lot in lessons. It has to be exciting all the slang, ta time,’ as if that really is a bad idea! I thought a headmaster would do better – after all, I haven’t got time for that sort of thing. Just look at this the Guardian dug out from the Select Committee: Delighted to read in the Telegraph that Sheffield Springs Academy is aping public schools: they’ve ordered pupils to stop using slang at school to Chair: If ‘good’ requires pupil performance to exceed the national average, improve their job prospects. Photo shows a phone with LOL! + smiley faces and if all schools must be good, how is this mathematically possible? (if only Dave had been banned, eh?). South Yorkshire MP Angela Smith Michael Gove: By getting better all the time. (another socialist), who taught GCSE English at a school in Dearne Valley, said: ‘The school is wrong to ban slang. How will the school police this? Chair: So it is possible, is it? Who will say what the difference is between slang and dialect? It could Michael Gove: It is possible to get better all the time. completely undermine the confidence of the children at the school.’ Good grief, what are the teachers there for? Chair: Were you better at literacy than numeracy, Secretary of State?

The Telegraph concludes: ‘One in 15 had never used the word “drat” Michael Gove: I cannot remember. and half of the participants did not understand the word “cad”.’ I say! If The important thing is to show you have a sense of humour, can laugh they went to a proper school, they’d know – you meet plenty of dratted at yourself – and then do what you want anyway. That’s what public cads there! schools teach you, and the public love it – look at Boris! There’s a question mark in the margin beside this entry, with this: Handle with care; it seems their inspection has been picked up by troublesome journalist called Mansell on Twitter (ban it, I say!): ‘inadequate’ improvement... pupils “unclear about next steps to improve their work”, five My bet’s on Gove for PM principals in 5.5 years and test result progress in both English and Maths well below national averages’. Well, I can’t turn it into an academy again, better make it part of a chain. Oh, it’s ULT academy already. Mansell: independent school, Oxford – and Trotskyite journalist! Better news from the soaraway new Sun on Sunday – Toby Young says I could be the next PM because of the success of my free school policy! Kathy Gyngell in the Daily Mail is very kind as well: ‘Michael Gove is a brave Dear Mr Gove: Letter from a and brilliant man.’ What a pity she spoils it with a ‘but’! Just ignore the curious parent rest, about being ‘pointless’.

More trouble from left-wing press when Michael Rosen started writing You can’t be serious about me letters in The Guardian: Harry Potter! ‘I see it’s full steam ahead with June’s phonics test. The results for your pilot tests are in and they make interesting reading. The pass level was put at 34 correct readings of the 40 single words. (I’m not sure why reading More evidence of decline in our universities from the Telegraph in May: single words, not in sentences nor in passages of writing counts as ‘In the 600-year-old halls of St Andrews University, a group of leading ‘reading’. Wouldn’t it have been more honest to have called it a ‘decode academics is discussing a piece of literature. Not just any old literature: this, test’?) Sad to say, only 32% of the children reached the pass score. Now, they say, is “the narrative experience of an entire generation”.’ It’s Harry one rumour I heard was that even the ‘outstanding schools’ that did the Potter! Worse is to come: ‘In 2008, a conference at Magdalen College, pilot scored at this sort of a level. If so, will your new head of Ofsted have Oxford, debated the global relevance of Rowling’s fairytale world.’ to change the word ‘outstanding’ to ‘crap’? He’s rather good at that sort A shame Hunt is closing libraries where people could read proper books of thing, isn’t he?’ – though he’s clever to make it seem councils are to blame. Perhaps I Here’s more in his April issue: should suggest one of the fine old universities steps in to help – closing the library Mark Twain opened in Brent is getting us bad publicity. Oh, not ‘Sitting on your desk is the Ofsted report on improving English, again – All Souls College, Oxford, of all places, owns it and wants it back. imaginatively entitled Moving English Forward. How delightful to see PR disaster! people charged with the study of English adopting that phrase of the moment, ‘moving forward’. Mind you, being a writer, I’ve tried conjuring Better social mobility news: Jeanette Winterson is taking up the writing up the exact sense of the metaphor of ‘moving English’, and, I’ll admit, I’m professorship at Manchester University. Working class girl made good, struggling. I’m seeing pictures in my head of you and Sir Michael Wilshaw went to Oxford (of course), now part of the Establishment – try to get a on a parade ground, calling out to a mass of English teachers, ‘Forward!’’ photo op but don’t let her stray off-topic, I see she’s just written in the Guardian; ‘Writing is a conversation, sometimes a fist-fight. It is demo- I’ll get the Osfted chap to rebut this – he’s already told teachers to man cratic.’ Don’t want a fist-fight with a woman in front of the cameras! up. Can always rubbish Rosen for his piece in the same lefty rag saying Makes telling people to ‘man up’ a bit too ironic. ‘Sorry, there’s no such thing as “correct grammar”’. Didn’t Rosen go a grammar school? And Oxford? Our correspondent adds: The Dictionary of National Biography (from Oxford, of course) writes of Matthew Arnold: ‘His criticisms of official educational policy in the early 1860s were founded on his conviction that How the Ofsted chief got education was too important to this task of propagating “high ideals” to be his maths wrong on SATs left to private provision.’ This no doubt explains Michael’s attack on public school boys hogging all the best jobs. Like his.

June 2012 55 Further Reading Reviews of Books and Resources

From the Editor’s Desk

The Romance of the Middle Ages Nicholas Perkins and Alison Wiggins showed for the medieval. I had Bodleian Library, 2012, done Latin and Greek at A Level, so £19.99 middle English was a cinch, but ISBN 9781851242955 others didn’t seem to feel like that: the language got in the way, the Anglo-Saxon Culture context got in the way, and so on. the next generation of medieval must it (and the formal scholars come from? And what will examination of students’ detailed and the Modern But to me, medieval literature seemed – well – quite fun. All that the next generation of English knowledge of it) constitute the Imagination rhyme and rhythm, a sense of teachers know about the medieval? entirety of that study? Can we not David Clark and Nicholas humour and adventure, Perhaps we should remember envisage ways of formulating Perkins (eds) wonderfully pungent and direct too that many of our students are advanced literary study in schools D.S. Brewer, 2010, £55 language, great stories, interesting keen readers of medieval- which embed the study of set texts ISBN 9781843842514 history, and some fantastic imagery influenced material, from Tolkien to within a broader, less formal and and lyricism too. And if that wasn’t Rowling, and are often fascinated more varied engagement with Geoffrey Chaucer Hath enough, listening to the LP of by the history of the period, whilst literary history, language and A Blog: Medieval Prunella Scales reading ‘The Wife translations of medieval works (e.g. creativity – ways which generate recent works by Armitage and for students both wider knowledge Studies and New Media of Bath’s Tale’ in the original pronunciation as a kind of medieval Heaney) are popular modern works of and about literature, and more Brantley L. Bryant Sybil Fawlty was surely enough to in their own right. pleasure in encountering it? (And, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010, convert anyone? Apparently not. Perhaps we should ask whether crucially, which don’t all need to be £16.99 When I started teaching (1989), it is Chaucer per se which causes assessed…). ISBN 9780230105072 Chaucer was still a regular fixture the problems, or whether it’s rather If we are, for instance, to help on A Level syllabuses. He still is, to our dominant modes of teaching our students to access the Let’s face it - medieval English a lesser extent – but few teachers him? Perhaps there are different pleasures and the significances of literature and language are not choose him anymore. And it’s true ways of going about things, ways medieval literature, is the popular, either in schools or that Chaucer presents particular that might get around some of traditional exam-focused study of universities. Lecturers complain that challenges at A Level. With the these problems? Chaucerian set text the best way to medieval literature is disappearing best will in the world, it’s not Elsewhere, I have argued that do it? At present, there is a choice from university courses as well as always easy to overcome the the tyranny of the set text and between studying Chaucer at A from school English: even in Oxford, unfamiliarity of his language and examination culture at GCSE and A Level or not. Most students do not. Old English has been demoted to allusions with a group of students Level is responsible for a great deal For most students, then, this the ranks of the voluntary. But was for some of whom even doing of damage, and that we need to strategy manifestly fails. But even if there ever a golden age when the Shakespeare might be pushing the re-think the way we structure Chaucer were compulsory at A massed ranks of English boat out. Yet I can’t help feeling literary study if we are to endow Level, would this be the best way undergraduates couldn’t wait to get that in depriving our students of more of our students with genuine of approaching it? Could we not their teeth into The Canterbury the opportunity to experience enthusiasm for and understanding rather think of students’ Tales, let alone Havelok the Dane, something of the riches of of literature in a textual world that entitlement to experience and or, heaven forfend, Beowulf? medieval English – and its fun – we is very different from 20, 30, 40 explore the world of medieval (and When I was an undergraduate in are doing them a disservice; and if years ago. The set text – and the other types of) literature in a variety the 80s, I was amazed by the lack of we don’t do something along close reading that its study entails of attractive ways which might enthusiasm my fellow students those lines, getting at least some of – must remain central to the work kindle their interest in it, and them into the medieval, where will of literary study, of course; but illuminate for them aspects of the

56 June 2012 broad sweep of literature, language respond with such interest to their Jones’s working script of Monty Blackadder tradition, and the world and culture – which then might go exposure not only to general ideas Python and the Holy Grail. We of literary humour in which ancient on to inform their more detailed about medieval culture but also to might reflect here that learning texts are adapted to modern and formal study of literary texts the physical and aesthetic presence about the influence of medieval formats or translated into older more broadly? To put it another of the manuscripts themselves, not literature, language and culture on languages (e.g., the recent Maidens way - if they do not study a long to mention the scholarly more modern writers, as well as Who Don’t Float: Classic Lit Signs medieval set text for the exam, why environment in which they exist. more generally on literary culture, on to Facebook or the Latin Winnie should they therefore be deprived They were keen to ask questions must surely be a way forward if we Ille Pu) – but it’s also a highly of medieval English altogether? not only about the content of the want to engage students both with scholarly book, written by an As suggested above, thinking like texts but also about the ways in the medieval and with the big American academic. It’s based on this raises fundamental questions which the manuscripts were picture of literary history. Perhaps the website of the same name (at about the way we envisage and produced, their functions, who the place where it’s currently most houseoffame.blogspot.co.uk) which construct literary study at GCSE and owned and read them, how they likely to happen in the A Level purports to present a blog written A Level, and the role that went from manuscript to school ‘canon’ is in the study of Heaney’s by Chaucer in a weird amalgam of assessment regimes – syllabuses, text book, and how an exhibition of poetry. But what about also medieval and 21st century examinations, etc. – might have in this sort was put together. They imagining, say, an A Level unit of language and culture. Here’s an narrowing that study. It also raises began to focus, in other words, on work which set about a study of example: questions about the kind of imagining the physical reality of the medieval literature by investigating O my gentil rederes, it hath been resources available for literary study. texts as objects in the real world the ancient sources of narrative a thing of muchel difficultee and I always try to bring some medieval with real producers and consumers ideas in modern children’s laboure for to type even the literature into my A Level class: but and with a direct aesthetic and literature, comedy, and even smallest entrie in myn blogge. For a course that was more flexible and material impact, rather than merely perhaps computer games? somer, lyk unto a songe of Barri adventurous might allow us to do as classroom-bound objects of Anglo-Saxon Culture and The Manileau, hath ydrawn alle the more and seek out more dynamic study for examination. Modern Imagination (edited by spirit and vigour from my limbes resources, especially when attractive Performance is another way in David Clark and Nicholas Perkins) and hert. For the gretre part of the digital and multi-modal resources which we might seek to bring explores this territory in depth, hot moneth of July, Ich satte in my are now so easy to obtain. medieval literature to life in modern focusing on the ways in which garden on my comfortable Recently, a number of interesting times. A while ago, I reviewed Baba Anglo-Saxon culture has inspired lawan-chaire and langwisshed lyk books have come my way which Brinkman’s Rap Canterbury Tales in and influenced modern writers. This unto sum yonge lover who hath have stimulated thinking along these pages (EDM Issue 13, Feb eclectic collection of critical essays ydumpede been. Ich daubede myn these lines. One, The Romance of 2009), and argued that poetry examines the influence of Old foreheed with a moyste towel and the Middle Ages (by Nicholas performance has an important English on the writers WH Auden, did drinke much of some drinkes Perkins and Alison Wiggins), is the place in the main school curriculum JRR Tolkien, David Jones, Basil swich as margaritae and daquiri. By lavishly illustrated and most as part of a broader strategy to Bunting, Geoffrey Hill, Ted Hughes night, Ich busyede myself with enjoyably written companion to the recover the teaching of poetry from and Peter Reading, and also writynge of my Tales of current exhibition of the same the exam-focused, print-bound explores modern re-tellings of and Canterburye…. name at the Bodleian Library in cul-de-sac in which it currently finds references to Beowulf in film, Clearly the anachronistic Oxford. Both the book and the itself. Brinkman reminds us that opera, comics, and the novel. The juxtapositions of medieval language exhibition give a wonderful Chaucer’s poetry has its roots in the editors also point out that, beyond and culture with modern language overview of medieval romance. oral tradition which still informs the these, there are many volumes of and culture provide the fun here – As I conveniently live in Oxford I cultures of (for instance) rap, slam children’s stories based on but read more and you will find was able to go and see the poetry, folk song, pop music and Anglo-Saxon narratives, as well as that detailed humorous exhibition; I also took my A Level storytelling. In a similar vein, the ‘shifting hybrids of Anglo-Saxon, commentary on the life and works Literature students to see it, as part Bodleian exhibition has sought to Viking and Arthurian motifs, of Chaucer is what enables the joke of a workshop led by the curator of link medieval romance with oral narratives and ‘wikimation’ via to keep going, along with more the exhibition (and one of the traditions by commissioning a great websites, chatrooms and gaming.’ topical humour about modern authors of the book). The rationale show with acclaimed storyteller As they write: literary scholarship. And for the for conducting the trip during the Daniel Morden telling some of the ‘[These essays} make a literature teacher, the book (and the school day was that the exhibition romance stories that inspired compelling case for returning to blog) is not only full of good jokes, included a focus on the relationship Chaucer and Shakespeare, Old English texts and Anglo-Saxon but also suggests the classroom fun between medieval romance and accompanied by the music of the artworks through an alertness to that might be had in helping Shakespeare’s As You Like It, one of group ‘The Devil’s Violin Company’. their performances and (re) students get over the unfamiliarity my students’ set texts. They would As well as introducing the iterations as editions, translations, of Chaucer’s language, or simply in see a First Folio Shakespeare edition medieval romance genre, the collections, motifs, parodies, and allowing them to play creatively and early versions of Lodge’s exhibition also explores the narratives in an ongoing with the language, characters and Rosalynde and the anonymous ‘Tale influence of romance on later intertextual arena.’ situations in Chaucer’s tales by of Gamelyn’, two texts from which generations of writers. Thus, Such intertextuality is at the heart recreating, elaborating or As You Like It developed, and the manuscripts on display include of a quite different sort of book intervening in the texts in a variety curator would work on a scene of examples of Victorian romance and – and yet one which similarly of ways – if only there were the As You Like It with them, examining medievalism (Scott, Tennyson, suggests ways of bringing the time, the space and the vision to do how Shakespeare integrated and Morris, etc.), C.S. Lewis’s copy of medieval into contact with the so. Tolkien’s edition of Sir Gawain and adapted the source material. modern: Brantley L. Bryant’s Gary Snapper the Green Knight with Lewis’s own All this was great, but actually Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog. EDM Editor what was most interesting about annotations, manuscripts of This book inhabits both the world the event was seeing the students children’s literature by J.R.R. Tolkien of rollicking history humour in the and Philip Pullman, and Terry

June 2012 57 The authors stress throughout practising teachers and academics, that writers’ development should attempts to bring together a most fruitfully be the focus of number of different threads from research and classroom practice, across the spectrum of 11-19 irrespective of which technologies Media teaching and turn them into may, or may not, be available. Their a handbook that will assist primary focus is to develop their beginning teachers, more own model, presented in Chapters established staff and subject leaders 9-10. The premise upon which this and managers in doing their job, by model sits is their theory of writer combining theoretical positions and development as ‘rhetor’ in any hands-on practical advice. Instead given rhetorical situation, as of seeing the two books as ‘framer’ of textual forms, as competing with each other, it is ‘chooser’ of modes of probably more useful to see them communication, and as ‘composer’ presenting two different of written products, with all the perspectives on differing areas of skill and preferences this allows. classroom practice. This last section of the book is the The Media Teacher’s Make no mistake, this will be a Developing Writers: heart of its case, a model that Handbook useful book to many media extends current understandings of Teaching and Learning Elaine Scarrat & Jon Davison teachers. Its clear structure means writing as practised in schools, daily that readers will be able to find and in the Digital Age (eds.) life, over time, and in multi- use the information they need Routledge, 2012, £22.99 Richard Andrews, Anna channelled and multimedia lives. In quickly and easily. The book is Smith this way Andrews and Smith offer ISBN 978-0-415-49994-1 structured as a sandwich in three Open University Press, 2011, refreshing ideas about writing as sections (Contexts, Curriculum, and In the dim and distant past, when I £21.99 both a central skill in Career Development) and, like any was a young Head of Media ISBN 0335241786 communicative life, and as one of good sandwich, it is the bit in the Studies, I often thought about the affordances schooling offers for middle that is the best. The writing down all the useful stuff Developing Writers uses its title’s developing the self. Curriculum section is packed with that I was learning – and indeed, all neat ambiguity to relentlessly Developing Writers: Teaching examples of schemes of work, the stuff that I was just making up pursue current and possible models and Learning in the Digital Age production projects, lesson plans as I went along – so that other and of both writing and writing offers readers briskly presented and worksheets which all clearly people could benefit from it later development at a pivotal time in reviews of how writing has been come out of the excellent practice on. Things like; how to run a Media global change in writing understood, taught and theorised of experienced teachers such as department on virtually no money, technology. Andrews and Smith in the past century or so, and a Elaine Homer and Rob McInnes (to how to run production projects in review previous models of writing welcome leap into its possible name but two). Importantly, the school where nobody really liked for their critiques of writer futures. It questions why, if curriculum section covers teaching kids doing production work, and development, as a premise for their schooling is committed to teaching GCSE and A Level Media Studies, as how to deal with massive A Level own speculative model of writing in children to read thoughtfully and well as ways into the sometimes classes. Sadly, ‘other things’ such as a changing digital age. The focus aloud, is writing not always so awkward area of delivering Media career progression, bringing up throughout is on the writer. Models taught? It should be on trainee through English and ideas for doing children and choosing to write of writing development, reviewed teachers’ booklists, and brings fresh cross-curricular media education down stuff that turned out to be in Chapters 4-5, revisit familiar thinking for practising teachers and (an area close to this particular less useful, got in the way. product-process paradigms, not as school governors with an interest to reviewer’s heart). oppositional perspectives, but as However, other people clearly did developing their writing curriculum This isn’t to say, however, that contributory to modelling the manage to get round to the job and teaching, ahead of the policy the other two sections of the book textual, social and cognitive frames and a significant amount of that changes of the near future. (Contexts and Career Development) through which we may understand important information is included in The Media Teacher’s Handbook, aren’t useful too. There has long writer development. Phillip Norman just published. been a need for a guide to setting The authors move on to survey University of Plymouth up and running a media Inevitably, the book will draw what digital technologies have department; it may come as a comparisons with Julian developed in schools and homes surprise to people, but there are still McDougall’s influential work The since the 1990s, stressing the plenty of schools that don’t have Media Teachers Book (now in its frequency and nature of changing them. Christine Bell does a very second edition, and co-edited with communications, and indicating good job of explaining the practical Nick Potamitis) but a closer dissonances of children and young problems of this task and ways of inspection reveals that they really peoples’ writing experiences in the dealing with them, and while are quite different beasts; in many domains of their lives. It is established Heads of Media may do McDougall’s work what the reader refreshing to read of the constant things differently, it is good to see a got was a kind of version of his sway in writing technologies, set of solutions in print. The view of the subject (Media Studies) domains and practices, not as Context section also does a good enacted through lots of very useful desirable ‘must-dos’, but as job of presenting some of the key ideas for lessons, developed from individual possibilities that constrain debates about media education in a his extensive experience of teaching or afford writer-agency to young digestible form. writers in both schooling and social in FE. The Media Teacher’s Two observations (I would live. Handbook, authored by a group of

58 June 2012 hesitate to call them criticisms, as I As a consequence what the book suspect that the authors could not does is, over a course of chapters, do much about the circumstances to show ways that students might in which they wrote and published use comic art (or perhaps what the book) are worth recording here. would better be described as the Firstly, it is a testament to how conventions of comic art) as a way quickly that the landscape of media into particular writing and reading education changes when an entire techniques. The fundamental section of your book appears to be premise of the book is that comics nearing obsolescence as soon as it – and what Eisner, McCloud and is published. The section on the others have identified as their Creative and Media Diploma, while sequential qualities – present the being theoretically very sound, and reader with many features that are indeed educationally interesting, analogous to those of the written might end up reading like an and spoken word, and can be used obituary rather than a call to arms. to explain and explore those Secondly, while the book aspects of literacy that students acknowledges that media Using Comic Art to might have difficulty coming to Visual Culture education is still somewhat at the Improve Speaking, terms with. Richard Howells and mercy of the country’s political Reading and Writing In practical terms the book Joaquim Negreiros masters, it sometimes leaves undertakes this exploration through Steve Bowkett and Tony Polity Press, 2012, £17.99 unanswered the questions a large number of games and ISBN 9780745650715 generated by that Hitchman classroom activities. Some of these acknowledgement. The current David Fulton/Routledge, games are very simple (such as the Visual Culture maps much of the political climate for education (with 2012, £19.99 coin-flip game, where students territory I ventured into many years its emphasis on the EBacc, league ISBN 978-0-415-67551-2 decide on answers to a set of idea ago when I was researching the use tables and the status of vocational generation questions by flipping a of visual images in advertising qualifications) will create pressures I am, have been and always will be coin) and could be used in all sorts (Images of Woman: Visual for media teachers that this book a fan of comics. That fandom has of creative ways to have students Communication in Advertising, cannot, through no fault of its led me on several occasions to tell stories. Other activities are more Chatto and Windus, 1975). I wish own, help them deal with. One think that I might be able to ‘do specific to comic art, such as using it had been available then! Though might, for example, with one’s something with comics’ in my drawing as a ‘visual shorthand’ for a book aimed at an academic tongue firmly in one’s cheek, ask classroom, both in terms of telling stories in a non-linear way; readership, I think many students of why the book does not have a studying them as a media form, but or developing what the authors call A Level Media would find it very section on ‘How to manage senior perhaps more importantly as a way ‘Kapow’ techniques, which involves useful – though others might be managers who don’t see the value of allowing students to better having students use comic art overwhelmed. Teachers of Media of Media education’ or ‘Discussions access forms of writing that they conventions such as speech and Studies are certainly advised to read with Headteachers: Explaining why would otherwise find difficult. This thought bubbles to explore other it and to cull from it those aspects Michael Gove is as dangerous as was where all my plans went awry; literacy topics like non-fiction. The most relevant to their interests and Paul Dacre.’ Such conjecture my fandom got in the way and my emphasis of the whole book is on their areas of study. should, however, not take away students ended up spending ages planning and producing good We are still a long way away from the fact that this is an talking about who would win in a written and oral outcomes. fight between Wolverine and the from being able to analyse visual excellent, useful book that should The beauty of the book is that it Silver Surfer. Worse still, I ended up communication in the way that we be essential reading for any is very user-friendly. Neither teacher joining in and we never really got tackle written or even spoken texts. secondary media teacher. nor student needs amazing round to improving anybody’s Too often the consideration given drawing skills to avail themselves of Stephen Connolly literacy or oracy. to pictures is superficial and what it has to offer. If anything, the desperately unmethodical. Yet it is Media Education Researcher The really good thing about book reinforces many traditional the visual that carries so much of Steve Bowkett and Tony Hitchman’s English classroom activities, such as the meaning in the majority of book is that it bypasses the problem collaborative story-writing, contemporary cultural artefacts. of fandom altogether. This is not to thesaurus skills and learning about Howells and Negreiros divide say that they dislike it as an idea tenses, but in a refreshing and their book into two parts. The first – both authors are very open, in the innovative way. Many of the considers issues of theory and the introduction to this extremely useful activities and ideas outlined in the second particular media, book, about the fact that they are book would really bring to life specifically: fine art, photography, comic fans. But they are also clear some of the more challenging areas television, film and new media. that their use of comics in the of the English curriculum, The theory section can be daunting classroom is about the development particularly for Primary and KS3 but persevere. It is several degrees of literacy, and what the reader students, and it is because of these less daunting than the writings of gets is a rather clever set of ideas qualities that Bowkett and most of the theorists described. about the way that comics might Hitchman’s work is to be highly The Introduction is excellent, be used by teachers to help their recommended for teachers working taking the reader through the students improve some of the in these and other areas. trickier concepts involved in writing major issues and discussion points such as organisation, structure, Stephen Connolly which follow. Whether ‘we will writing dialogue and writing Media Education Researcher discover how visual texts can be endings. read with just the same rigour … as

June 2012 59 the printed word’ is arguable. We layer of meaning but with more making of pictures is not a superfluous. This makes the analysis should indeed attempt that rigour sophistication, taking into account language in the way we normally of advertising imagery that much and assess the strategies which are that there will be a number of understand it and linguistic theory easier than, say, newspaper discussed in the chapters that overlapping and often contradictory can only take us so far. pictures. follow. However, we are, in my contexts at any one historical / An aspect of language which The book concludes with a opinion, quite a long way from cultural point. Barthes develops for visual analysis chapter on New Media. While not having the tools at our disposal Semiotics, though, is a rich and in The Rhetoric of the Image and denying the importance of the which match those available to rewarding chapter with much to which I do find very useful is that of various new media so familiar to us analysts of printed or spoken texts. say to those with an interest in figures of speech, the primary one all, the authors argue that though The chapter on iconology is analysing media texts. The focus being metaphor (fortunately in the delivery systems have evolved relatively straightforward, dealing here is on Barthes, who built on the visual media we do not have to hugely, the content has not with the way in which certain visual work of early semiologists like nit-pick about the difference changed: a film is still a film items carry specific meanings, a Saussure. Saussure worked in between simile and metaphor) however you view it, Heartbreak skull for death / transience of life, linguistics and posited that the link though synecdoche, where a part Hotel is the same song on vinyl or for example. They authors use the between the signifier (the word e.g. represents the whole, is also on your MP3 player. One of the work of Panofsky as a starting cow) and the signified (the thing powerfully used in display exceptions they make is for the point, explaining his three levels of itself: something that gives milk advertising. website, which they claim has meaning. The first two levels are and moos) is essentially arbitrary. It The final chapter of the Theory characteristics that make it a probably familiar to students and is merely an established convention section deals with hermeneutics, an genuinely new form. Integration, teachers of media as denotation that c-o-w evokes an image of a area where it is difficult to see the interaction and impermanence are and connotation. Panofsky’s first cow in the reader or listener. practical application to the study of what characterise a website and level is the ‘what is there’ or Barthes applies this to visual texts visual texts at school level (or to this make it unlike anything that has ‘factual’ level – a snake, a woman, arguing that a visual symbol is bemused reader, any level). Like gone before – something definitely an apple, for instance. The second equally arbitrary. Howells and epistemologists, hermeneuticists worth discussing with your or ‘conventional’ level comprises Negreiros use the example of car seem to proceed like aero-acrobats, students. They make a similar claim that which we interpret from these logos as an example; the circle and weaving and circling and displaying for the music video but include no items, temptation, sin and so on. three pointed star symbol of great skill until they land and you mention of social media; perhaps The third level is what he calls the Mercedes could equally well have wonder what it was all about. Be they will do so in the next edition. ‘intrinsic’ level, which reveals four points or be within a square. aware of the culture from which Whatever they have to say, it will be information about the social and The relationship between the the text emanates and be aware of well worth reading. cultural attitudes of the society in signifier and the signified is also your own culture and attitudes is which the work was created. At fluid: the Eiffel tower connotes what I would advise students. Trevor Millum this level a car advertisement might sophistication; the Blackpool Tower, The second half of the book NATE ICT Committee reveal not only associations of of the same design, something covers specific areas of visual power, masculinity, status and so quite different. For this to be culture, all interesting and with the on but also that the society of that understood, of course, we would possible exception of fine art, time and place values motor need to know the context (e.g. relevant to the student of media. transport which is chosen, another sign such as a croissant or There isn’t space here to discuss all purchased, and driven by a French flag) or read a text. This these chapters so I homed in on individuals – just for starters. latter feature would provide what photography, being the area I spent The chapters on art history and Barthes calls anchorage, though the time studying and trying to analyse form (which takes art, mainly authors do not mention what I methodically all those years ago. painting) as its focus, I found it less think is a useful term. Because The authors spend much of the useful for the Media Studies almost all pictures are polysemic chapter debating whether teacher. The extent to which the (i.e. they carry many meanings photography can be art, which is form influences and sometimes simultaneously) and are non-linear interesting but may not be your defines the content of a visual (i.e. can be read from any place in students’ main concern. The image is as interesting and relevant the image to any other) it is often discussion does make us think in, say, advertising as it is in art. A words which tie down or anchor about the nature of photography, glossy full colour, full page photo the chosen message. though. Even though it appears to carries meaning in itself, meaning Much of Barthes theorising, be mechanical (‘a well-trained which is very different from that especially about mythologies which gibbon could produce satisfactory carried by a line drawing or a arise from his Marxist viewpoint, results’) the choices made by the quarter page black and white are to say the least, arguable. photographer – composition, focus, cartoon – even though the content Further, though he speaks of timing and so on – together with might be the same. semiotics as a science, his approach the effects which can be added A Level students will find the is anything but scientific – more a subsequently clearly affect the way chapter on ideology rather series of interesting insights. the resulting image is seen and are heavy-going, I imagine. There is a However, his work adds to that of a function of the photographer’s useful description of Berger’s Panofsky and others and makes it intentions. controversial approaches (in Ways clear that there is work to be done While documentary photos of Seeing) and the reactions to it in analysing the deeper meanings (along with our everyday ‘snaps’) but to me the main conclusion is carried by visual texts and this is as might include unintentional that we need to see visual texts in a important as analysing written or subject-matter, it is very unlikely social-historical context just as we spoken texts. While comparisons that the photos used in advertising do with written or spoken texts. with linguistics are useful, though, will contain anything accidental or We are back with Panofsky’s third it is apparent that the meaning-

60 June 2012 storytelling in the classroom is not a history the author examines the solo performance but a ‘social importance of using contrasting construction’. That evening the and multiple perspectives in the teachers and I made and re-made retelling and understanding of key that old Scottish tale together. historical episodes like the Spanish Storytelling Across the Primary Armada. There is a fascinating Curriculum is, essentially, a practical discussion around both the power and encouraging resource for both and the sensitivities of storytelling primary and English teachers. The within religious education and main core of the text offers the personal development programmes. reader an excellent, illustrated Key Stage 1 teachers are well guide to the craft of selecting, catered for throughout the book adapting and telling stories in the and Daniel’s reworking of Grimm’s classroom. But the book is much ‘The Old Man and his Grandson’ is more than then a practical a delight – a gift for the classroom. classroom manual. Daniel begins by In the chapter on storytelling within Storytelling Across the exploring the place of story and drama and dance Daniel offers the Primary Curriculum storytelling within a range of infant practitioner an excellent case Here Comes the Alistair K. Daniel psychological, social, historical, study of classroom work on the old Bogeyman: Exploring Routledge 2011, £21.99 linguistic and educational contexts. Russian tale of ‘The Giant Turnip’. contemporary issues in His approach and analyses are Echoes of Dorothy Heathcote and ISBN 9780415598606 informed and authoritative without Gavin Bolton’s work resonate writing for children Andrew Melrose Long ago, when the world was still ever becoming dense or dry. He throughout the account and young … argues seductively that when we provide sound pedagogic Routledge, 2012, £18.99 Well, some weeks ago I was tell stories in our classrooms we tap foundations for this immediately ISBN 978-0-415-61753-6 leading a staff development session into and align our teacher-selves to practical and engaging resource. Andrew Melrose, Professor of in a large primary school. We were the inner lives of our pupils and to Teachers of older pupils are also Chlldren’s Writing at the University exploring the use of drama for the way they see and make sense catered for with interesting of Winchester, sets out to explore writing. After some orientation of the world. The chapter on the examples of the use of storytelling the nature of writing for children in activities I told a traditional Scottish structure of narrative and on to support the study of texts as the ‘media-led’ twenty-first century tale to this group of twenty Key ‘performance’ is both fascinating diverse as Macbeth and Shaun Tan’s in his most recent text, Here Comes Stage 1 and 2 teachers. After the and provocative; raising all sorts of The Arrival. the Bogeyman. The book is divided story telling we worked through a questions about the constantly This short book is a lively read into two clear sections: current range of drama activities and shifting and varied identities, roles and a valuable resource for both critical theory and context and the writing opportunities prompted by and functions of the effective and the primary and the English teacher. process of writing. It is aimed at the action and themes in the story. imaginative teacher in the Daniel’s scholarship is secure and students of creative writing and At the end of the session a number classroom. convincing whilst his approach is others with an interest in this area. of teachers stayed behind to talk In a key chapter on the craft of consistently practical and enticing; In the first section Melrose deftly and ask questions about the work. classroom storytelling Daniel tempting and daring the reader to leads the reader through a maze of All said how much they had explores the performance skills and take up the challenge and realize current theories and ideas opening enjoyed the storytelling and all the theatricality of the classroom some of the benefits and the with the ‘show stopping’ theory admitted surprise that I had told storyteller. Whilst always well impacts of telling rather than that ‘children’s literature does not the complete tale, uninterrupted. researched, his approach is reading stories in the classroom. exist’ (Zipes 2002). Zipes rears his They had each anticipated and consistently practical and he has And so they did, from that very head at regular intervals bringing feared that I would stop or some excellent advice on the use of day, put the book away and told controversy and stirring the debate. interrupt the narrative and that we what he refers to as verbal and happily ever after. Nurture is the first of the under would work on the story in stages. visual ‘absences’. These ‘absences’ developed ‘bogeymen’ that Melrose They were, they said, delighted to are engagement cues, gaps for the Mick Connell introduces as a neglected theme, have experienced the story as told; pupils to fill, during the storytelling. University of Sheffield ignored perhaps for its simplicity. shared in its complete form. For instance: It becomes apparent fairly quickly Pleasing as this was to hear, the ‘… visual absences can make the that one of Melrose’s personal teachers’ comments made me story world present and take the objectives is to help children think. The teachers’ pleasure at storytelling community to the develop the necessary life skills to being told a story is not in any way liminal point, the threshold deal with, and interpret, their an indication that their role in the between the imagined and the real. world, rather than to protect the process was merely ‘receptive’ or In this way, the storyteller can young reader from what many ‘inactive’. For, whilst the story was create a king by simply holding a adults deem to be the undesirable being told, the teachers had been plastic crown over a vacant seat: or inappropriate. Another recurring intensely and actively engaged in its the way in which the crown is held, theme (and perhaps central to the making; imagining, empathizing, the use of gaze and the space given author’s viewpoint) is the ability of remembering, anticipating, to the chair all build a scaffold for children to make connections watching and linking the events the imaginative response – to see a between their world and the new and the characters in the story to king who wears a crown and sits experience being laid before them their own life and literary on a throne.’ (p.49) in story form. It is the responsibility experience. The teachers were The second half of Daniel’s book of the adult delivering, choosing or exemplifying throughout that, as explores and illustrates the use of writing the material to foster those Alistair Daniel points out, the act of storytelling across the curriculum. In June 2012 61 links without forcing their own own thoughts while throwing light is well organised into eleven world view upon the young mind. on my observations of children’s chapters that take readers ‘The cult and culture of preferences and opinions. progressively from a brief childhood’ is explored throughout As your guide through the introduction on how children learn and the differences between cultural context of writing for language, through chapters on children’s life experiences within children Melrose chooses the speaking and listening, reading, western and developing countries optimistic route, setting authors phonics, the writing process, exposed. The stark contrast (himself included) high expectations secretarial skills, inclusive learning between our parents’ and as the builders of relationships that, and finally to planning and grandparents’ early lives is a with support and nurturing, will assessment. Each chapter has a reminder that childhood is a vastly develop young minds into fertile, contribution from another writer varied state that continually enquiring beings, ready to explore that gives a different perspective or changes and evolves. Melrose the unknown through literature. provides food for thought. reminds us that children have little Throughout the book, readers are control over what they are fed by Michelle Verdon prompted by icons to reflect on well- meaning teachers, parents Nettlelham Junior School their reading and how they might and journalists with their often apply it to their classroom nostalgic preconceptions of what a placements and course The Primary English good children’s book contains – assignments. An extensive Encyclopedia: The they are experts simply because bibliography and suggestions for Heart of the Curriculum further reading are given at the end they are the adults! Melrose has no Margaret Mallett quarrel with the producers of lists of each chapter – a boon for Routledge (4th edition), that claim to include the best readers who want, or need, to 2012 , £29.99 children’s reads, although he often delve deeper into particular facets questions their taste, but reminds of teaching or subject knowledge ISBN: 978-0-415-58952-9 us that they are guides for adults, and much easier than searching A new edition of Margaret Mallett’s not children. through a long bibliography at the impressive Primary English end of a book. As he weaves a path through a Encyclopedia has been published. All in all this is a short, but range of sometimes extreme views, This comprehensive text is an comprehensive guide to current Melrose presents the reader with invaluable resource for anyone primary classroom practice and I am the palatable modern view, that involved in Primary English sure that it will be valued by ‘the writer and reader are involved teaching, with much of the content student teachers as such. However, in a shared project’ where neither relevant beyond KS2, making this a as Jackie Brien admits, changes to one is an expert. Teaching Primary versatile and useful resource bank the English curriculum are imminent The second half of the book is English of knowledge. Mallet has and there are currently few clues as much more straightforward. It aims Jackie Brien updated entries to acknowledge to its content, other than an to give advice and suggestions, of a current issues and developments Sage Publications, 2011, emphasis on phonics, grammar and practical nature, on structure, including the teaching of early £19.99 writing skills In addition, the dialogue and age setting. As reading, the phonics debate, ISBN 9780857021571 National Literacy Strategy, which is someone with an interest in reading schemes, new research, a children’s reading habits and books referred to throughout this book, is I suspect that are few primary who’s who, children’s books and in general (although not about to no more and some of its school teachers who, as students, extended entries on new literacies. embark on the writing journey that methodology is being questioned. did not quake with feelings of As well as definitions, there are many readers may be considering) I It is not an easy time to be inadequacy when first faced with helpful sections that give contextual found this section intriguing and at preparing students for the Primary the huge responsibility for teaching information on past and current times enlightening. Melrose classroom. children to read and write. Of policy as well as all the major possesses the rare ability to uncover However, Jackie Brien obviously course, we now realise that reports and key publications that hidden wisdoms that seem obvious understands students’ needs and enabling young children to become have influenced the teaching of once stated, but which have never their course requirements. I have no literate is far more complicated English from Bullock to Rose. quite taken hold as a fully formed doubt that, for the near future at than we first imagined. How do Explanations and illustrative concept – like an idea that has least, this will become their you begin to teach a child to read? examples are provided with been balancing on the tip of the reference book of choice because it How important are speaking and informed clarity. Although over tongue. is easy to use and in relatively few listening? When does spelling 600 entries [536 pages], it is easy to pages, they are introduced to the Read this if you are considering become important in writing? How navigate and find subjects or areas main features of good English and writing for children, or if you have a do you make children want to read of interest. There are discussions literacy teaching and perhaps more serious interest in children’s and write in the first place? on many aspects of English literature – this book is not aimed importantly, they are encouraged to These and a myriad of other teaching underpinned by theory at the merely curious or parents think deeply about it. questions and uncertainties fill and further recommended reading. who wish to choose books wisely I also enjoyed Mallet’s personal student teachers’ thoughts as they Barbara Conridge for their children. Here Comes the try to ‘get it right’ for the classes recommendations on the Bogeyman is not an easy read. Part NATE Primary Committee they will teach. professional texts and the writers One is a densely-packed forest of In this book, Jackie Brien aims to who have shaped her own current views, frustrating at times, help student teachers get to grips knowledge and understanding. and may take several readings to with the basic skills and knowledge Finally she lists her own top 15 extract the most from the text. It they need to do just this. The book children’s books. certainly made me question my

62 June 2012 This would be an excellent exactly the kind of book that an A about which researchers and case resource for new and experienced level student, like me back in 1989, studies they should be mugging up teachers wanting clear and helpful but equally one now looking at on to keep up with how the subject information about the teaching of their first UCAS form and contem- is developing. English. I would also endorse this plating their first self-cooked meal The last chapters look at the as a key reference text for student of tuna, pasta and salad cream, careers open to English Language teachers. This English ‘bible’ would would really benefit from reading. graduates and the skills that can be be an asset to any school staffroom Goddard starts by looking at the gained to improve graduates’ as an accessible resource that relatively recent history of English employability, which may seem a delivers facts and findings that Language as a subject, its roots in tad dry but in these times of full inform and interest. philology, its initial zeal to tuition fees and rising graduate Pamela Lewis “improve” the demotic forms of unemployment, teachers are University of Brighton the average user, its links to increasingly going to find it harder traditions of preservation and to persuade even some of the prescriptivism and then its shift in keenest potential English under- the 1960s and 70s towards the graduates to go on to degree fairly new discipline of Linguistics. courses like these if they can’t see a The material on the growth of job or career at the end of it. The Discourse of Text sociolinguistics is interesting as it Overall, Doing English Language Messaging shows the profound difference is exactly the kind of book that Caroline Tagg between the heritage industry sixth form teachers and students Continuum, 2012, £24.99 approach to language offered by a need. So, if you’ve ever been asked ISBN 9781441173768 body like the English Association in what an English Language degree the early Twentieth Century and the involves, have had to convince an Twenty years after Cor Stutterheim warts’n’all acceptance of usage by out of touch careers advisor that invented text messaging, and over early sociolinguists such as William English Language is not just about ten years after SMS in the UK Labov and those like Trudgill, Giles, writing stories, or you have some diffused from the initial base of its Cheshire and Milroy who shaped keen but uncertain students early adoption by adolescents and the British linguistics landscape of weighing up their options, young adults to mundane ubiquity, the 1970s and 1980s. Goddard’s book should do the job Caroline Tagg has written a book The chapter on “Areas of nicely. I just wish that courses like which at last nails down what is Linguistics” provides a particularly those outlined in here and a book going on in txting interaction, as Doing English helpful overview of the different like this had been around when I seen from the perspective of Language: A Guide for types of approach that linguists use made my university choices. applied linguists. Based on the students and shows A level students exactly empirical evidence of over 11,000 Dan Clayton Angela Goddard where some courses might take messages, or over 200,000 words, Language Teacher and Routledge, 2012, £14.99 them, as well as reinforcing key she collected and analysed for her Researcher ISBN: 9780415618823 concepts that are needed in the doctoral thesis (http://etheses. main A level English Language bham.ac.uk/253/1/Tagg09PhD.pdf), The problem facing Angela specifications. The pithy examples Tagg situates her approach in major Goddard at the start of this of intertextuality, English as a emerging fields of scholarly enquiry excellent guide to English Language Lingua Franca and technology’s including corpus linguistics, study at HE is made clear early on influence on the language all serve language play in everyday creativity, when you find that Routledge (who to illustrate the range and depth of identity and its performance, the publish this book) already have the subject and are well-chosen to ‘grammar of talk’ (e.g. Carter, Robert Eaglestone’s Doing English hook potential undergraduates. McCarthy), and sociocultural in their catalogue. The fact that approaches to spelling (e.g. Sebba Further chapters on Literary and Eaglestone’s book calls itself Doing 2007). This in itself would equip a Media Studies and Creative Writing English but is then subtitled A reader with much of what they show the range of skills that Guide for Literature Students tells might want to know about recent students of English Language can us, Goddard says, “something of developments in the wider field. develop alongside other areas of the complex history of the subject In addition, the book gives a first interest, while the chapter on area”. English – for a long time and rate overview and critique of Research Methods is excellent, not for many people – has traditionally empirical studies of text messaging just for those thinking of moving meant the study of Literature. including treatment of publications into HE but for pretty much every up to 2012 or still forthcoming. If, like me, you went to university teacher or student of English This is helpful given the way the in the early 1990s to study English Language at A level. The range of field has developed in the very Language and Literature only to references to different data recent past, for example, in the find that the language was gathering methodologies and provision of the publicly accessible Anglo-Saxon and the Literature was analytical approaches is really text message corpus by Tao Chen the other 90% of the course, then valuable, and clearly explained and colleagues at the National this book explains why that was the throughout, and it goes just far University of Singapore. Tagg is case, but also how that has started enough off the beaten track to direct about the limitations of all to change for the better. It’s also offer teachers a few new ideas

June 2012 63 such research, including her own, of cryptic textual cues. This book is recently some books have come systemic functional linguistics, pointing out the ways in which a long way on from the ingenious badged with the claim they are social semiotics and multimodality, collections of text messages, lexical lists which featured in earlier written by real university linguists, or the kind of text stylistics covered including those of apparently large studies and popular treatments. with implications for those that are by the Routledge Intertext series. number, are small by comparison not, and as if that differently expert However it gives a highly readable with this ubiquitous global practice; Tim Shortis audience would know the better contemporary update on the we can only speak for the localised University of Bristol the nature of what it is students Labovian ‘variationist’ perspective. preferences of the groups and know, understand and do in order This book also offers an accessible messages being sampled. This duly to obtain a general certificate of introduction not focused on exam sceptical spirit informs her education in schools and colleges papers and curriculum description of how she went about rather than a module in an specifications; one of the best of its collecting her own electronic corpus undergraduate degree. The two kind. of messages, including guidance books reviewed here provide about data collection and introductions to Linguistics, and to Tim Shortis processing methods which could Sociolinguistics, written primarily University of Bristol find a particular audience in GCE A for undergraduate audiences. Level students preparing their All About Language gives an language investigation fieldwork. attractively designed, informative The tables and other selections of and congenially readable overview data and analysis will give that of what its blurb terms ‘basic audience plenty to compare and linguistic ideas and debates’. Based discuss. For example, students may on Barry Blake’s course notes and want to consider the implications of experience of teaching Linguistics in the material being collected over universities for over four decades, it five years ago. Only 3% of the 248 includes thought provoking main informants were 21 or under, An Introduction to examples from several languages. and nearly 80% between 22 and English Sociolinguistics The coverage is representative of 35, which may also have a bearing such approaches to general on texting choices, as Tagg Graeme Trousdale linguistics with sections on comments. The treatment of Edinburgh University Press, language structures and ethical issues also offers practical 2010, £16.99 description, syntax and discourse, explanation of the methods used to ISBN 9780748623259 speech and writing, language address the well known difficulties variation and change, language and in collecting data from digitally cognition and the origin of mediated interaction including a language. Been here before? technique for renaming identifying Nonetheless, I would recommend information while retaining this as a well-crafted overview, researcher access to that albeit with limited direct application respondent’s identity. to those teaching about language Dwelling on such detail may give at GCE level, unless and until the the impression this is a difficult Committee of Linguistics in book. It is not. Tagg writes in a Education (CLIE) are successful in clear direct manner and although their aim of establishing an AS The Discourse of Text Messaging course in Linguistics. represents the current state of the Edinburgh University lecturer and art summary of research, it remains CLIE Chair Graeme Trousdale has accessible to the interested general worked closely with teachers in reader. This is in part the both Scotland and the UK, and consequence of the clear knows what goes on in the school signposting of the chapters, and curriculum. His recently published the sense of argument and All About Language Introduction to Sociolinguistics joins cohesive momentum. More Barry Blake a crowded marketplace of books specialized ideas and references are Oxford University Press, with similar titles, and I had initial explained in passing rather than in 2009, £14.99 doubts about the purpose of yet a separate glossary or set of ISBN 978-0199238408 another. However, I was persuaded footnotes, which makes the book otherwise by reading it. Trousdale useful for introducing more From time to time the EDM editor presents an unusually well complex, unfamiliar ideas with sends me books offering an structured, concise, erudite, direct exemplification. Similarly the introduction to language study up-to-date survey of main many messages excerpted from written primarily for developments in sociolinguistics Tagg’s corpus exemplify seemingly undergraduates, with publishers since Labov, Trudgill and others more difficult ideas with a level of identifying the inevitable overlap initiated the sub-discipline over vividness and engagement, and, in market for the much larger group forty years ago. It is focused on a that bizarre way of SMS, evoke of students following courses in comparatively traditional approach whole ways of living by the traces GCE level English Language. More which does not engage much with

64 June 2012 N ational Association for the Teaching of English 50 Broadﬁ eld Road, Shefﬁ eld, S8 OXJ Tel: 0114 255 5419 Fax: 0114 255 5419 email: [email protected] website: www.nate.org.uk

• N ATE represents English teachers in the four countries of the United • At any time, NATE may also set up or sponsor working groups to Kingdom, engaging with the concerns of the profession locally, deal with new or current areas of interest. Such groups may cease to nationally and internationally. Through its regions, committees and function when they have accomplished their work, or seek to conferences, NATE draws on the work of classroom practitioners, become standing committees. advisers, consultants, teacher trainers, academics and researchers to promote dynamic and progressive approaches to the subject by • As well as books and pamphlets, NATE publishes regular newsletters, means of debate, training and publications. the academic journal English in Education and the professional NATE Collections journal English Drama Media. • NATE is formed of its members, and is reliant on their active participation for the successful and dynamic functioning of the • The work of the Journal is overseen by the Academic Review Board. Association. NATE draws on enthusiastic, committed members to There is also an EDM Advisory Group and an Editorial Board which English Teaching Now participate at regional and national levels, to join its committees, and assists the Publications Manager. to take responsibility for the running of the Association. • Council is NATE’s decision-making group, debating the association’s • Much of NATE’s work is delegated to its regions and committees. policy and positions and guiding its management, planning and • These provide members with an opportunity to become involved administration. Council is a vital link between the management of with the promotion of the Association’s aims at local and national the association and the membership of the association. FREE to all NATE members level. • Council, which meets once a term, consists of the Management • The regions are vital in building a national network for the Committee, all the Committee Chairs and Regional Co-ordinators, association. Each region co-ordinates a programme of activities for and 12 elected members (four each year for a period of three years). By popular demand, Collection 6 has now been added to this valuable members, often focused on regional conferences. Each region has an In addition, Council may co-opt up to six members for one year each. elected Regional Co-ordinator, who co-ordinates the region’s archive of contemporary thinking, ideas and activities in NATE articles. activities and represents the region at NATE Council. • NATE Management Committee conducts the business of the association in the light of Council’s discussions, and is responsible for COLLECTION 1: Writing – inspiration and craft KS2, KS3 and KS4 • The age-range and specialist committees provide a forum for debate the fi nancial conduct of the association. about current concerns in specialised areas of the profession. In addition, the committees disseminate knowledge and ideas, inform • The administration of NATE is based in offi ces in Sheffi eld, under the COLLECTION 2: Reading and responding to fi ction KS2, KS3, KS4 the work of the association, and help to represent it to local and management of the Company Secretary, assisted by the Director of national bodies. Committees meet several times a year. Elections are Communications and Development. COLLECTION 3: Reading and responding to poetry KS2, KS3 and KS4 held annually for members of the following: Primary Committee; 9- 14 Committee; 12-16 Committee; Post-16 Committee; Multicultural • NATE is an active member of the International Federation of Teachers COLLECTION 4: Promoting the enjoyment of reading KS2 to KS5 Committee; ICT Committee; Drama Committee; ITE Committee. An of English and seeks to share the experience of English teachers elected Committee Chair co-ordinates the work of each committee throughout the world. COLLECTION 5: Shakespeare KS2 to KS5 and represents it at NATE Council. COLLECTION 6: Speaking and Listening KS2 to KS4

These collections of NATE articles, available as one The collections are gathered around the areas of English Drama Media complete fi le (pdf), downloadable free of charge from interest most prevalent over the past fi ve years of English Drama Media is the national professional journal published by NATE three times a year, with an intended audience of teachers, the Members’ Area of the NATE website, are drawn publication. The themed articles – 15 to 20 in each lecturers, advisers, researchers and teacher trainers in 11-18 English, Drama and Media. The journal carries articles and reviews which refl ect from the three NATE periodicals: collection – will be invaluable to: current practice, developments and debates in all aspects of the secondary English, Drama and Media curriculum, building on a tradition of • magazine NATE Classroom informative, challenging and thought-provoking writing by expert practitioners and researchers in the fi eld. The journal is also a location for • all teachers who want to plan a half-term series news and reviews of events, publications and resources relevant to the teaching of English, Drama and Media, and aims to record • professional journal English Drama Media of lessons on a relevant theme developments in the profession for current and future reference. The editor is always happy to receive offers to review or suggestions for • peer-reviewed research journal English in Education • to Heads of English who are planning Inset on things or events to review. The editor welcomes contributions of a range of different types (polemic, account of research and/or practice, refl ection, satire, etc.) by a range of different types of practitioners (secondary teacher, academic, teacher trainer, adviser, consultant, etc.) We (these articles are referenced only – accessible by all a given topic are particularly keen for classroom teachers to write about innovative practice. Academics and researchers are encouraged to re-present, for a NATE members on the Wiley Blackwell page directly • to PGCE or English Education lecturers who wider audience, work already published in research journals or books. from the members’ area of the NATE website, and with want to bring themselves and their students a direct link to one sample article in each collection) up-to-date on aspects of current practice Editorial procedure This series, absolutely free of charge to all NATE and research English Drama Media is a professional journal for a professional audience rather than a peer-reviewed academic journal. Most articles members, is also available to non-members at a cost of submitted to the professional journal will have been either commissioned by the editor (with or without consultation with the advisory • to consultants or curriculum leaders who want group) or discussed with the editor before being written and/or submitted, although writers are welcome to submit completed articles for only £12.50* per collection from the NATE bookshop to refresh their own thinking, or garner fresh consideration. Each main article is read by at least one member of the magazine’s advisory group (see page one) before it can be accepted for at www.nate.org.uk. The fi rst three collections approaches and ideas. publication. The editor and the advisory group member together discuss whether to accept the article before arriving at a decision. More detailed notes for contributors are available on the EDM page at the NATE website, www.nate.org.uk. The editor may be contacted at available now are listed above; further collections will be June 2011 49 [email protected]. available soon – see www.nate.org.uk for updates. (*price correct at time of going to press, subject to change without notice)

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